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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. cue — a hint
  3. capital — a city
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. bank — of a river
  7. capital — money
  8. bank — for money
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. object — to protest
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. cue — a signal
  17. stand — to bear
  18. object — a thing
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bark — to shout
  22. object — an aim
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bank — for money

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