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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. mug — a face
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mug — to rob
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. mine — for digging
  24. bank — for money

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