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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.

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: dip · toast · mug · bay · pitcher · arm · bark · scale

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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. mug — to rob
  4. bark — to shout
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. scale — size or range
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. dip — to sink
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. toast — bread
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. scale — in music
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. mug — a face

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