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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 120 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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. game — a match
  5. club — a group
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. scale — size or range
  10. club — for dancing
  11. rest — a break
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. game — wild animals
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rest — what's left
  17. club — for golf
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. rest — what's left

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