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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. net — after costs
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — an aim
  5. bass — the fish
  6. staff — employees
  7. bass — low music
  8. object — to protest
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. staff — a stick
  13. band — a music group
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. net — in sport
  20. band — a ring
  21. staff — employees
  22. net — for catching
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. temple — a place of worship

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