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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  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. chip — to eat
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. wind — moving air
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. chip — for betting
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. rock — a stone
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. rock — music
  22. pitch — completely
  23. wind — moving air
  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