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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. cue — a hint
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lean — thin
  9. cue — a signal
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. cue — for pool
  12. swing — to play on
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. spell — magic
  15. game — wild animals
  16. spell — letters
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. swing — music
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. swing — in golf
  22. game — a match
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. spell — a short time

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