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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: cell · arm · lean · wake · rock · jam · suit · bat

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. suit — in cards
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. lean — thin
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rock — a stone
  10. cell — in biology
  11. rock — music
  12. lean — to bend
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — a trail
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. cell — a phone
  22. suit — clothes
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. cell — in a prison

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