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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
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: mouse · arm · suit · shower · rash · bass · lie · pit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pit — a hole
  8. shower — rain
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bass — the fish
  11. pit — in a race
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bass — low music
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. rash — hasty
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rash — a series
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. shower — to wash
  24. mouse — the animal

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