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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. charge — a price
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — the fish
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. charge — in control
  18. band — a ring
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. charge — electricity

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