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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a path
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — in control
  6. ground — the earth
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. scale — in music
  13. track — a song
  14. scale — size or range
  15. snap — to click
  16. ground — crushed
  17. object — a thing
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. object — an aim
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. object — to protest
  22. charge — electricity
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. ground — a position

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