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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. swing — to play on
  6. swing — music
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. staff — employees
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. dip — to sink
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. land — a country
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. roll — a list
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — to handle
  19. land — to come down
  20. land — ground
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. swing — in golf
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. roll — a cake

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