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

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. chip — for betting
  6. firm — steady
  7. court — of a king
  8. firm — a company
  9. chip — to eat
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. court — for sport
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the fish
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. court — of law

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