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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 am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. court — of a king
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. capital — money
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. roll — a list
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. track — a song
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a path
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. capital — a city
  17. stand — to bear
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. court — of law
  20. roll — a cake
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. court — for sport

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