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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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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. kid — child
  4. bank — for money
  5. bass — low music
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. rock — music
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bass — the fish
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. kid — to tease
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bank — for money
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bank — of a river
  20. stand — to bear
  21. rock — a stone
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. cap — a hat
  24. ball — a dance

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