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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. rush — hurry
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — to protest
  6. bank — for money
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bank — for money
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bank — of a river
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. object — a thing
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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