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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 · pass · ground · bank · hide · stand · chair · scale

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. scale — in music
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bank — for money
  6. pass — a permit
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. chair — a leader
  10. bank — for money
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bank — of a river
  14. scale — size or range
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. ground — the earth
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. ground — crushed
  21. ground — a position
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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