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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. rush — hurry
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. land — ground
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. mark — a trace
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. land — a country
  10. lean — thin
  11. mark — a grade
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. toast — bread
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. lean — to bend
  24. stand — to bear

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