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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.

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: bear · arm · track · club · patient · pop · pitcher · stick

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — to visit
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. track — a path
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. club — for golf
  8. track — to keep track
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. pop — soda
  14. track — a song
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. club — for dancing
  21. club — a group
  22. bear — the animal
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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