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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. drill — army training
  3. swing — music
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. chip — to eat
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — government
  9. drill — the tool
  10. swing — to play on
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. swing — in golf
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. foot — a measure
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. rule — a law
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. drill — a practice

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