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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. field — a subject
  7. chair — a leader
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. fall — to drop
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. fall — the season
  16. field — for sport
  17. stand — to bear
  18. fall — to drop
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. field — farmland
  22. suit — in cards
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chair — to sit on

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