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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: arm · stick · present · stand · staff · race

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. present — there
  3. present — the time now
  4. race — a contest
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. race — humankind
  10. race — the arms race
  11. present — a gift
  12. staff — a stick
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. staff — employees
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. staff — employees
  17. stand — to bear
  18. arm — part of the body

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