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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. rock — music
  5. spell — a short time
  6. key — in music
  7. foot — a measure
  8. key — the most important part
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. swing — music
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. spell — letters
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. rock — a stone
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. swing — to play on
  22. swing — in golf
  23. key — for a lock
  24. wave — with your hand

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