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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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Word bank
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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: pound · toast · pass · chair · arm · swing

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. swing — to play on
  6. swing — in golf
  7. chair — a leader
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. toast — bread
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pass — a permit
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. swing — music

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