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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: mouse · land · arm · fan · wind · wound · stand · ball

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. land — a country
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. land — ground
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. ball — a great time
  11. wound — an injury
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wound — an injury
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. land — to come down
  18. wind — moving air
  19. ball — a dance
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. wind — moving air
  23. stand — to bear
  24. wind — to turn a key

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