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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: fine · ball · arm · mouse · foot · can · degree · patient

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. can — to be able to
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. can — a tin
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. ball — a great time
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. degree — an amount
  9. degree — from a university
  10. fine — high quality
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. can — a tin
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. degree — temperature
  19. ball — a dance
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. fine — all right
  22. foot — a measure
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. foot — 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