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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 120 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.

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: cabinet · foot · kid · branch · charge · arm · sharp · bass

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. bass — the fish
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bass — low music
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. foot — a measure
  9. branch — a division
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. charge — electricity
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. kid — child
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — in control
  19. sharp — clever
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. kid — to tease
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. branch — of a tree

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