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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pop — to visit
  4. scale — in music
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. pop — music
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a great time
  10. pop — soda
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. drill — a practice
  13. drill — the tool
  14. rest — what's left
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — decided
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. rest — a break
  20. toast — bread
  21. scale — size or range
  22. drill — army training
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. firm — a company

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