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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. scale — in music
  8. swing — music
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. ground — a position
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. bass — low music
  14. swing — to play on
  15. stem — to come from
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. ground — crushed
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. scale — size or range
  21. swing — in golf
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. ground — the earth

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