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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 · bear · file · stand · stock · ball · mark · straw

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. bear — the animal
  5. file — a line of people
  6. stock — goods
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. file — a tool
  9. stand — to bear
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. file — a document
  12. ball — a great time
  13. mark — a trace
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. mark — a grade
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stock — shares
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. ball — a round shape

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