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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 120 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. cap — a hat
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. rest — a break
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. pit — in a race
  18. cap — a lid
  19. pit — a hole
  20. cap — of ice
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rest — what's left
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. fan — a supporter

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