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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: swing · cabinet · file · bass · arm · lean · suit · content

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. file — a tool
  3. lean — to bend
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. swing — music
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. suit — to fit
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. swing — in golf
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bass — the fish
  16. swing — to play on
  17. file — a document
  18. bass — low music
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. content — the amount
  21. content — happy
  22. lean — thin
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. cabinet — ministers

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