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

Word bank: racket · bay · mug · pound · stick · arm

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. mug — to rob
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mug — a face
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pound — a weight
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. stick — to attach or keep to

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