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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. bass — low music
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. root — the cause
  8. cap — a lid
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. root — of a word
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bass — the fish
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. cap — of ice
  21. root — of a plant
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — tied together
  24. cap — a hat

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