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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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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: rash · suit · arm · fork · bass · patient · foot · row

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. row — a line
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. suit — to fit
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. bass — the fish
  11. rash — a series
  12. rash — hasty
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. row — to paddle
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. suit — in cards
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bass — low music
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. foot — a measure

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