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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: jam · fan · bound · scale · kid · game · arm · toast

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bound — tied together
  3. scale — in music
  4. game — a match
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. kid — to tease
  8. bound — obliged
  9. game — wild animals
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. kid — child
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. scale — size or range
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. bound — certain
  24. toast — bread

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