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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: mouse · jam · chest · rock · club · arm · capital · mug

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. chest — of your body
  4. rock — a stone
  5. club — a group
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mug — a cup
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. capital — a city
  12. club — for golf
  13. rock — music
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. club — for dancing
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. capital — money
  20. chest — of your body
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. mug — a face
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. chest — a box

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