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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. capital — a city
  6. bound — obliged
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. capital — money
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — employees
  12. key — the most important part
  13. dip — to sink
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bound — tied together
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. key — in music
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. staff — a stick
  23. bound — certain
  24. stand — to bear

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