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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: shower · degree · club · bay · arm · cue · stick · suit

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — to fit
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. shower — rain
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. suit — in cards
  10. club — a group
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. degree — temperature
  13. club — for golf
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. cue — a hint
  16. club — for dancing
  17. degree — an amount
  18. cue — for pool
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. degree — from a university
  22. shower — to wash
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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