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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: arm · cap · dip · nail · bass · cue · scale · fan

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. cue — a signal
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. cap — of ice
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to sink
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bass — low music
  16. scale — size or range
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. scale — in music
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cap — a hat
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bass — the fish

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