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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'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. charge — a price
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. track — a song
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. track — to keep track
  7. charge — in control
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stand — to bear
  12. track — a path
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. field — a subject
  17. craft — a skill
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. field — farmland
  20. charge — electricity
  21. craft — boats
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. field — for sport
  24. stand — for spectators

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