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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. wound — an injury
  6. track — a song
  7. track — to keep track
  8. fork — in a road
  9. press — newspapers
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. ball — a dance
  13. press — to push
  14. press — a publisher
  15. ball — a great time
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. track — a path
  23. wound — an injury
  24. stand — to bear

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