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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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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: arm · ball · stand · cue · perch · wave · wake · file

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. file — a document
  3. file — a line of people
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. perch — the fish
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. cue — a hint
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. ball — a great time
  19. file — a tool
  20. ball — a dance
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. perch — for a bird

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