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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. club — for golf
  7. pop — to visit
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stand — to bear
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. content — happy
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. club — a group
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. content — the amount
  22. pop — music
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. club — for dancing

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