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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. stand — to bear
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. cold — an illness
  9. date — the fruit
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. spell — magic
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — a short time
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. cold — not warm

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