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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 · kid · row · wound · rock · lean · stand · last

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. last — to go on
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. kid — child
  6. row — to paddle
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. rock — a stone
  11. lean — thin
  12. last — finally
  13. wound — an injury
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. wound — an injury
  16. stand — to bear
  17. rock — music
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. last — final
  20. lean — to bend
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. kid — to tease
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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