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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: scale · temple · arm · swing · rash · wake · stock · bay

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. rash — hasty
  4. stock — goods
  5. swing — in golf
  6. stock — shares
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wake — a trail
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. rash — a series
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. swing — to play on
  17. swing — music
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. scale — in music
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. temple — side of the head

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