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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — electricity
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. stand — to bear
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. charge — a price
  14. shower — to wash
  15. lean — thin
  16. bound — certain
  17. deal — to handle
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bound — tied together
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bound — obliged
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. stand — on your feet

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