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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.

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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: chest · key · mouse · mug · arm · swing · last · bay

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. chest — of your body
  3. last — final
  4. last — finally
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. swing — to play on
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mug — a face
  11. chest — a box
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. chest — of your body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. last — to go on
  18. key — in music
  19. mug — to rob
  20. swing — music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. mug — a cup
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. key — the most important part

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