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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 120 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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bass — the fish
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bank — for money
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bank — for money
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bass — low music
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. wound — an injury
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. key — in music
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. bank — of a river
  24. wound — an injury

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