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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. swing — to play on
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. tube — a container
  8. rest — what's left
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rest — a break
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. chip — to eat
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. swing — music
  15. chip — for betting
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. tube — the underground
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. rest — what's left
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. swing — in golf

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