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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: mate · mug · mouse · arm · capital · fine · rash · bank

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. capital — money
  3. rash — hasty
  4. mug — a face
  5. bank — of a river
  6. capital — a city
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bank — for money
  13. fine — high quality
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bank — for money
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mug — a cup
  22. rash — a series
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mate — a partner

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