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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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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: drill · arm · club · foot · toast · perch · cap · bass

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. perch — the fish
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. cap — a lid
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. toast — bread
  7. bass — the fish
  8. drill — the tool
  9. bass — low music
  10. drill — a practice
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. cap — a hat
  17. club — a group
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. drill — army training
  21. club — for golf
  22. club — for dancing
  23. cap — of ice
  24. arm — a part of something

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