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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.

Make a worksheet

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: arm · file · bass · row · present · face · lean · net

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. row — to paddle
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. net — in sport
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bass — the fish
  9. present — there
  10. net — for catching
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. face — to confront
  13. lean — thin
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. bass — low music
  16. row — a line
  17. lean — to bend
  18. file — a document
  19. face — to point toward
  20. present — a gift
  21. net — after costs
  22. file — a tool
  23. file — a line of people
  24. face — part of the head

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