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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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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 · rash · firm · can · season · fall · wound · straw

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. fall — the season
  3. rash — a series
  4. wound — an injury
  5. fall — to drop
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. firm — steady
  12. rash — hasty
  13. firm — decided
  14. wound — an injury
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. fall — to drop
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. season — in sport
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. can — to be able to
  22. firm — a company
  23. season — of the year
  24. arm — a part of something

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