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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. staff — employees
  10. plane — a tool
  11. staff — a stick
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. deal — to handle
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — to sink
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. dip — a sauce

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