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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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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 · wave · fine · lean · fan · cue · fork · kick

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. cue — a signal
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fork — in a road
  10. lean — thin
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. lean — to bend
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. cue — for pool
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fine — all right
  20. kick — in football
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. cue — a hint
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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