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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. squash — the sport
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bound — tied together
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. ball — a dance
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. squash — to crush
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bass — low music
  18. bound — certain
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bass — the fish
  21. stand — to bear
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bass — the instrument

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