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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wave · lean · arm · net · mug · dip · bear · racket

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. net — in sport
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bear — the animal
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. net — after costs
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bear — the animal
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. mug — a cup
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. lean — thin
  20. dip — to sink
  21. mug — a face
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. net — for catching

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