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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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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: fan · arm · ball · firm · suit · hand · tube · rock

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. tube — the underground
  3. ball — a great time
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. hand — help
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — steady
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. suit — to fit
  12. tube — a container
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — in cards
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. firm — decided
  18. rock — music
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. ball — a dance
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rock — a stone
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. hand — in cards

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