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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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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: mark · foot · fine · spring · rush · arm · stand · wave

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. fine — high quality
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. stand — to bear
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. mark — a trace
  11. spring — of water
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. spring — the season
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. spring — a coil
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. mark — a grade
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. foot — a measure

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