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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.

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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: foot · ground · bass · can · cell · arm · patient · rest

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. bass — the fish
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. cell — in biology
  6. ground — the earth
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. rest — a break
  9. ground — crushed
  10. rest — what's left
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. rest — what's left
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. can — to be able to
  15. ground — a position
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. can — a tin
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. bass — low music
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. can — a tin

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