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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: can · bass · lean · tear · fine · arm · ball · rule

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. can — a tin
  4. tear — from crying
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a great time
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. tear — to rip
  9. can — a tin
  10. rule — a law
  11. lean — thin
  12. bass — low music
  13. fine — high quality
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bass — the fish
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. lean — to bend
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. fine — all right
  22. rule — government
  23. tear — from crying
  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