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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. face — part of the head
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — in cards
  5. capital — a city
  6. suit — clothes
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. capital — money
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bank — for money
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bank — for money
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bank — of a river
  20. face — to point toward
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. face — to confront
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. arm — a part of something

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