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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  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. rock — a stone
  3. squash — the sport
  4. game — a match
  5. game — wild animals
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bank — for money
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. squash — to crush
  12. mine — for digging
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. suit — to fit
  18. rock — music
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. suit — clothes
  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