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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'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. perch — the fish
  4. current — electric
  5. wake — a trail
  6. current — of water
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. rest — a break
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mug — a cup
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. mug — to rob
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rest — what's left
  18. current — happening now
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. mug — a face
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. rest — what's left

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