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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: hand · stick · firm · bank · scale · arm · bore · net

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. bank — for money
  6. scale — in music
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. scale — size or range
  9. net — in sport
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. firm — decided
  12. net — for catching
  13. bore — to tire
  14. hand — help
  15. bore — to drill
  16. net — after costs
  17. firm — steady
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. hand — in cards
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. firm — a company
  24. scale — for weighing

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