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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. band — a music group
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. stock — shares
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. stand — to bear
  13. band — a ring
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stock — goods
  17. fine — all right
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. fine — high quality

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