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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: rest · arm · fine · mug · wave · scale · bass · straw

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mug — a face
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. bass — the fish
  9. fine — all right
  10. mug — to rob
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bass — low music
  14. scale — in music
  15. rest — what's left
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. rest — what's left
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. rest — a break
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. fine — high quality

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