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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. fall — the season
  6. can — a tin
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. track — to keep track
  11. cold — not warm
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. track — a path
  14. fall — to drop
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — a publisher
  17. track — a song
  18. press — to push
  19. fall — to drop
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. can — a tin
  22. cold — an illness
  23. can — to be able to
  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