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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'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. cue — a hint
  6. bass — the fish
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. present — a gift
  10. cue — for pool
  11. present — there
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. cue — a signal
  17. content — happy
  18. bass — low music
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. present — the time now
  21. content — the amount
  22. stem — to come from
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. patient — a sick person

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