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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. fork — in a road
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cell — a phone
  6. stand — to bear
  7. cell — in biology
  8. staff — employees
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. ball — a great time
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. ball — a dance
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. ball — a round shape

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