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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. land — a country
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. mug — a face
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. swing — to play on
  12. row — to paddle
  13. land — ground
  14. pass — a permit
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. swing — music
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. mug — to rob
  20. swing — in golf
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. land — to come down
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. row — a line

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