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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  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 — part of the body
  2. suit — in cards
  3. pass — a permit
  4. squash — to crush
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. suit — to fit
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. stand — to bear
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. hand — help
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. squash — the sport
  18. suit — clothes
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. hand — in cards
  23. pass — to succeed
  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