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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. chair — a leader
  8. ground — the earth
  9. ground — a position
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. cue — a hint
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. rash — a series
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. game — a match
  18. ground — crushed
  19. cue — for pool
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. stand — to bear
  22. game — wild animals
  23. cue — a signal
  24. rash — hasty

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