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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stand — to bear
  4. craft — boats
  5. field — a subject
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. stock — shares
  9. capital — money
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. capital — a city
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. stock — goods
  18. craft — a skill
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. lie — to recline
  23. field — farmland
  24. field — for sport

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