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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: bear · arm · band · rest · cabinet · stand · season · charge

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. stand — to bear
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bear — the animal
  9. season — of the year
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rest — what's left
  14. charge — in control
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. band — a music group
  17. season — in sport
  18. charge — a price
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. rest — a break
  23. charge — electricity
  24. band — a ring

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