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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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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. craft — boats
  5. club — for dancing
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rock — a stone
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bass — low music
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — music
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. wake — a trail
  18. craft — a skill
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. club — a group
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. club — for golf
  24. bass — the fish

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