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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cue — a hint
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. chest — of your body
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. face — to point toward
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. face — to confront
  11. chest — a box
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. chest — of your body
  14. ball — a dance
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. cue — a signal
  17. ball — a great time
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. snap — to click
  21. cue — for pool
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. face — part of the head
  24. chair — a leader

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