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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. present — a gift
  5. capital — money
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. board — to get on
  12. bass — the fish
  13. present — the time now
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. bass — low music
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — a committee
  18. stand — to bear
  19. prune — to trim
  20. capital — a city
  21. present — there
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. prune — to trim
  24. nail — for a hammer

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