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

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. drill — army training
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — a practice
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stand — to bear
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — to trim
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. arm — part of the body

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