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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: bass · arm · foot · face · fork · mark · suit · bound

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bass — low music
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bound — obliged
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. bound — certain
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. suit — clothes
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. face — to confront
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. face — part of the head
  18. foot — a measure
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bass — the fish
  22. face — to point toward
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. fork — to eat with

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