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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: squash · chest · face · arm · bass · net · staff · cue

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. face — to point toward
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. cue — a signal
  5. bass — low music
  6. chest — of your body
  7. face — part of the head
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. chest — a box
  11. net — for catching
  12. staff — a stick
  13. net — after costs
  14. face — to confront
  15. staff — employees
  16. squash — the sport
  17. cue — for pool
  18. chest — of your body
  19. net — in sport
  20. staff — employees
  21. bass — the fish
  22. squash — to crush
  23. cue — a hint
  24. arm — part of the body

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