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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. track — a song
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. object — a thing
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. object — an aim
  12. band — a music group
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. object — to protest
  15. rock — music
  16. band — a ring
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. track — a path
  20. hand — in cards
  21. rock — a stone
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. hand — help
  24. track — to keep track

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