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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: object · foot · squash · firm · arm · pitcher · leaves · band

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — steady
  6. squash — the sport
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. object — to protest
  9. foot — a measure
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. object — an aim
  12. band — a music group
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. object — a thing
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. squash — to crush
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. band — a ring
  20. firm — a company
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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