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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. land — to come down
  3. land — ground
  4. object — a thing
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. object — to protest
  7. stand — to bear
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rash — hasty
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. object — an aim
  20. rash — a series
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. land — a country
  24. deal — a big deal

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