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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. charge — in control
  3. stand — to bear
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. staff — employees
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. bulb — for light
  13. staff — employees
  14. band — a ring
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. kid — to tease
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. band — a music group
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. bulb — for light
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. charge — a price
  23. staff — a stick
  24. foot — a measure

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