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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. track — a song
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. suit — clothes
  5. mark — a trace
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. stand — to bear
  9. rash — a series
  10. fine — all right
  11. suit — to fit
  12. rash — hasty
  13. fine — high quality
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. suit — in cards
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a path
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. mark — a grade

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