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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. chip — to eat
  3. row — to paddle
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bank — for money
  7. track — to keep track
  8. fine — all right
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. track — a path
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bank — for money
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bank — of a river
  18. track — a song
  19. row — a line
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. fine — high quality
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — in a computer

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