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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. can — to be able to
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. can — a tin
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. rock — music
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bass — low music
  13. can — a tin
  14. chair — a leader
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. bass — the fish
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. sharp — clever
  24. rock — a stone

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