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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. toast — bread
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. band — a music group
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. foot — a measure
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. band — a ring
  20. chip — to eat
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. fork — in a road
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. chip — for betting

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