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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.

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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 · jam · club · saw · date · face · arm · deal

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. saw — the tool
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to point toward
  6. club — for golf
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. face — to confront
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. club — a group
  18. date — the fruit
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. deal — to handle
  22. club — for dancing
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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