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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. current — of water
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. lean — thin
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. lean — to bend
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. cell — a phone
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. branch — a division
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. cell — in biology
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — electric
  20. scale — in music
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. scale — size or range
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. branch — of a bank

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