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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  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 — for betting
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. board — a committee
  7. foot — a measure
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. snap — to click
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bear — the animal
  15. board — to get on
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. bear — the animal
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. foot — part of the body
  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