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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. club — for golf
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. chest — a box
  9. club — a group
  10. squash — to crush
  11. chest — of your body
  12. squash — the sport
  13. rock — music
  14. chest — of your body
  15. staff — employees
  16. deal — to handle
  17. rock — a stone
  18. club — for dancing
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. staff — a stick
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. rock — to move gently

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