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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. face — to confront
  6. court — of law
  7. court — of a king
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. dip — to sink
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. face — to point toward
  18. court — for sport
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. face — part of the head
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. chip — for betting
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — a stone

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