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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. kick — in football
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. chip — for betting
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. chip — to eat
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. hand — in cards
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. hand — help

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