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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  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. stand — for spectators
  3. key — the most important part
  4. band — a ring
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. key — in music
  7. squash — the sport
  8. squash — to crush
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — soda
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. stand — to bear
  14. craft — a skill
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. craft — boats
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. band — a music group
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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