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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. file — a line of people
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. suit — to fit
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the fish
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. perch — the fish
  11. track — a path
  12. chair — a leader
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. file — a tool
  15. file — a document
  16. suit — in cards
  17. track — a song
  18. suit — clothes
  19. hand — in cards
  20. track — to keep track
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. hand — help
  24. chair — a professorship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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