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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. chair — a leader
  3. firm — steady
  4. deal — to handle
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. mate — a partner
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. firm — a company
  11. firm — decided
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. mate — a friend
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. track — a path
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. cell — in biology
  20. track — to keep track
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mate — to breed
  23. track — a song
  24. cell — a phone

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