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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.

Make a worksheet

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: saw · rash · arm · patient · hand · face · cue · wave

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. rash — hasty
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. rash — a series
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. face — part of the head
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. saw — the tool
  14. hand — help
  15. cue — a signal
  16. hand — in cards
  17. cue — a hint
  18. face — to point toward
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. saw — the tool
  24. face — to confront

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