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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 120 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 · rash · chair · sharp · ball · bank · suit · rest

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. suit — in cards
  3. sharp — clever
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. suit — to fit
  6. rest — a break
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bank — of a river
  9. rash — a series
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. ball — a great time
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. bank — for money
  15. chair — a leader
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. rash — hasty
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. bank — for money
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — what's left

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