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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.

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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: wave · foot · bass · arm · row · cabinet · jam · prune

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. prune — to trim
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. foot — a measure
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. row — to paddle
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. row — a line
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. prune — to trim
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bass — low music
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. bass — the fish
  24. foot — 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