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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.

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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. pit — a hole
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bark — to shout
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. pit — in a race
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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