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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. drill — army training
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mug — a face
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. file — a document
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. mug — to rob
  11. file — a line of people
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mug — a cup
  17. file — a tool
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. drill — a practice
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. content — the amount
  23. content — happy
  24. drill — the tool

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