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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bound — certain
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bound — obliged
  8. mate — to breed
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. mate — a partner
  15. vault — a safe
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. rash — a series
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bound — tied together

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