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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: cap · stock · arm · mug · bay · bore · band · scale

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bore — to tire
  3. band — a ring
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. stock — shares
  6. stock — goods
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. cap — of ice
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a face
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bore — to drill
  15. cap — a lid
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. cap — a hat
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. band — a music group
  22. scale — in music
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bay — a horse colour

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