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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · file · club · scale · bass · fan · stem · safe

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. bass — the fish
  3. club — for golf
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. scale — size or range
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. file — a tool
  11. club — for dancing
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. file — a document
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. file — a line of people
  18. bass — low music
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. scale — in music
  24. club — a group

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