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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 120 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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. mate — to breed
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. suit — clothes
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. suit — in cards
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. foot — a measure
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — a friend
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — with your hand

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