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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. track — a song
  3. track — to keep track
  4. stand — to bear
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. club — a group
  8. staff — employees
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. club — for golf
  11. rash — a series
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. staff — a stick
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. sharp — clever
  19. club — for dancing
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. staff — employees
  23. track — a path
  24. arm — part of the body

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