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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. file — a line of people
  3. stand — to bear
  4. file — a tool
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. squash — the sport
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. squash — to crush
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. file — a document
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. cell — a phone
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. snap — to click
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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