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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.

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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a hole
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. season — of the year
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. hand — in cards
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. season — in sport
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. stem — to come from
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. hand — help

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