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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bank — of a river
  3. swing — to play on
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bank — for money
  6. bass — the fish
  7. swing — in golf
  8. bank — for money
  9. bass — low music
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. land — ground
  12. row — to paddle
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. swing — music
  15. land — a country
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. land — to come down
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. row — a line
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. chair — a leader

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