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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.

Make a worksheet

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: ball · file · wake · rest · suit · arm · hand · hide

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. rest — what's left
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hand — help
  7. suit — in cards
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. file — a document
  10. ball — a dance
  11. hand — in cards
  12. rest — a break
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. suit — clothes
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — a trail
  17. file — a tool
  18. file — a line of people
  19. rest — what's left
  20. suit — to fit
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. arm — part of the body

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