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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. game — wild animals
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pop — music
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. foot — a measure
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pop — soda
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. pound — a weight

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com