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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. rock — a stone
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. staff — employees
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. staff — employees
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. saw — the tool
  14. current — electric
  15. bat — the animal
  16. staff — a stick
  17. lean — to bend
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bass — low music
  20. bass — the fish
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — of water
  23. rock — music
  24. lean — thin

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