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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. firm — decided
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. rest — what's left
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. firm — steady
  7. key — the most important part
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stand — to bear
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. field — a subject
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. firm — a company
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. field — farmland
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. field — for sport
  21. key — for a lock
  22. rest — a break
  23. key — in music
  24. rest — what's left

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