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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. staff — a stick
  4. charge — a price
  5. net — for catching
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. staff — employees
  8. track — a song
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. charge — in control
  11. net — in sport
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. net — after costs
  14. staff — employees
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. charge — electricity
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. track — to keep track
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. bowl — to roll

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