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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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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. roll — a list
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bass — low music
  13. bass — the fish
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. mark — a trace
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. roll — a cake
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mark — a grade
  24. fan — a supporter

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