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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. charge — a price
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bear — the animal
  10. sharp — clever
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stand — to bear
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. ball — a dance
  23. charge — in control
  24. ball — a great time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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