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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: plane · arm · bay · suit · foot · sharp · bass · club

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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 — to fit
  3. bass — low music
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. club — for golf
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. sharp — clever
  12. club — for dancing
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. foot — a measure
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. club — a group
  21. plane — a tool
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bass — the fish

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