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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bass — the fish
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. cell — in biology
  9. suit — clothes
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. suit — to fit
  12. rest — what's left
  13. suit — in cards
  14. rest — a break
  15. bass — low music
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. cell — a phone

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