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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: arm · bass · current · patient · rest · nail · track · chair

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bass — the fish
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bass — low music
  8. track — to keep track
  9. current — of water
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rest — a break
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. current — happening now
  16. track — a path
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. track — a song
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. chair — a leader
  23. rest — what's left
  24. current — electric

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