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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — moving air
  5. last — finally
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — to bear
  8. charge — in control
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. suit — clothes
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. charge — electricity
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. suit — to fit
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. lean — to bend
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. last — final
  19. lean — thin
  20. sharp — clever
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. charge — a price
  24. last — to go 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