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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bat — the animal
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — in music
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. pit — a hole
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. key — the most important part
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — low music
  24. wave — of the sea

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