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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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Word bank
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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. pound — a weight
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. suit — to fit
  9. club — for golf
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. club — for dancing
  13. suit — in cards
  14. plane — a tool
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. rest — what's left
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. suit — clothes
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. club — a group
  22. rest — what's left
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. mouse — the animal

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