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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.

Make a worksheet

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: arm · racket · land · jam · mark · mouse · scale · object

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. object — an aim
  3. land — a country
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. land — to come down
  6. scale — in music
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — size or range
  11. object — a thing
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. mark — a trace
  14. object — to protest
  15. land — ground
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. mouse — for a computer

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