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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. deal — to handle
  3. cold — not warm
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. mark — a trace
  6. current — of water
  7. current — happening now
  8. stand — to bear
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. mark — a grade
  11. root — of a word
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. root — of a plant
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. current — electric
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. root — the cause
  21. cold — an illness
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — an agreement

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