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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. row — a line
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. club — a group
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. toast — bread
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. club — for golf
  15. row — to paddle
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. club — for dancing
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. jam — in traffic

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