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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.

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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. chip — for betting
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. chip — to eat
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. field — for sport
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. field — farmland
  15. field — a subject
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. patient — a sick person

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