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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. cue — a signal
  6. can — a tin
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cue — a hint
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cue — for pool
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. race — a contest
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. race — humankind
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. race — the arms race
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. can — a tin
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. can — to be able to

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