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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. mate — to breed
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fork — in a road
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — a partner
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — for a lock
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. stand — to bear
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bear — the animal
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. key — in music
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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