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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. bulb — for light
  3. track — a song
  4. bulb — for light
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. suit — clothes
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. rest — a break
  15. hand — in cards
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. rest — what's left
  18. hand — help
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bass — the fish
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a path
  23. bass — low music
  24. suit — in cards

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