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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — to bear
  3. chest — of your body
  4. present — a gift
  5. roll — a list
  6. key — in music
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. chest — a box
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bank — for money
  11. wax — to grow
  12. present — there
  13. chest — of your body
  14. key — the most important part
  15. roll — a cake
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bank — for money
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. bank — of a river
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. present — the time now

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