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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. field — a subject
  4. bass — low music
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bass — the fish
  7. field — for sport
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. rush — hurry
  12. suit — in cards
  13. field — farmland
  14. suit — to fit
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. key — in music
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. key — the most important part
  19. key — for a lock
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. suit — clothes
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stem — to come from
  24. rush — to hurry

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