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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. bank — for money
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rest — what's left
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. club — a group
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. chair — a leader
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bank — for money
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. club — for golf
  24. pitch — completely

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