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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. stand — to bear
  8. degree — an amount
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. degree — from a university
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bank — for money
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bank — for money
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bank — of a river
  22. degree — temperature
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. cabinet — ministers

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