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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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. bear — the animal
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. charge — electricity
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. roll — a cake
  8. charge — in control
  9. roll — a list
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. rash — a series
  12. charge — a price
  13. bear — the animal
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rash — hasty
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stand — to bear
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. stand — on your feet

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