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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. last — final
  6. bulb — for light
  7. track — to keep track
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. current — of water
  10. track — a song
  11. track — a path
  12. current — electric
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. craft — a skill
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bat — the animal
  17. current — happening now
  18. stand — to bear
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. last — to go on
  21. craft — boats
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. bulb — for light

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