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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: net · roll · bay · pass · pop · arm · can · foot

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pop — to visit
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. can — to be able to
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. pop — music
  9. net — in sport
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pop — soda
  12. roll — a cake
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. can — a tin
  15. roll — a list
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. can — a tin
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. net — for catching
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. net — after costs

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