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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. club — for dancing
  7. club — for golf
  8. sharp — clever
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. fine — all right
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. club — a group
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. bass — low music
  22. foot — a measure
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. bass — the fish

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