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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — to bear
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. suit — to fit
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rash — hasty
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. cell — in biology
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. court — of law
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. court — of a king
  15. cell — a phone
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. rash — a series
  20. suit — in cards
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — a stone
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. court — for sport

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