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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. rash — a series
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. roll — a list
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. suit — clothes
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. suit — in cards
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. rash — hasty
  22. roll — a cake
  23. suit — to fit
  24. hide — animal skin

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