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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. present — the time now
  5. stand — to bear
  6. swing — to play on
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. chair — a leader
  11. spell — a short time
  12. swing — in golf
  13. drill — the tool
  14. present — a gift
  15. present — there
  16. swing — music
  17. spell — letters
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. spell — magic
  20. band — a music group
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. drill — a practice
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. band — a ring

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