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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: band · file · arm · cap · bear · foot · suit · racket

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. suit — clothes
  5. foot — a measure
  6. suit — in cards
  7. cap — a lid
  8. bear — the animal
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. file — a tool
  12. suit — to fit
  13. cap — a hat
  14. band — a music group
  15. file — a document
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. band — a ring
  18. cap — of ice
  19. file — a line of people
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bear — the animal
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. racket — for tennis

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