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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.

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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: date · club · race · staff · racket · bay · foot · arm

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. staff — employees
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. race — a contest
  7. club — for golf
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. foot — a measure
  11. staff — a stick
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. club — a group
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. race — humankind
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — the fruit
  21. staff — employees
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. race — the arms race

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