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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: toast · object · cell · club · arm · race

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. cell — in biology
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. object — to protest
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. race — humankind
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. object — a thing
  10. toast — bread
  11. club — a group
  12. object — an aim
  13. race — a contest
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. cell — a phone
  16. race — the arms race
  17. club — for golf
  18. club — for dancing

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