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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: stand · stick · arm · trunk · capital · squash · pass · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. squash — to crush
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. capital — a city
  11. squash — the sport
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. capital — money
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. ball — a great time
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. ball — a dance
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. pass — a permit
  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