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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 120 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: face · deal · wave · stand · arm · stick · club · capital

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. capital — money
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. face — to point toward
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. club — for dancing
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. face — to confront
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. club — a group
  14. capital — a city
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. deal — to handle
  19. club — for golf
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. face — part of the head
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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