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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bound — certain
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. bound — obliged
  9. deal — to handle
  10. last — final
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. saw — the tool
  15. present — a gift
  16. bound — tied together
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. present — the time now
  20. last — to go on
  21. present — there
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. last — finally
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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