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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. club — for golf
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. net — for catching
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bear — the animal
  8. net — in sport
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to click
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. club — a group
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. club — for dancing
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. net — after costs
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rock — music
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — a stone

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