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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. cap — of ice
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. cap — a hat
  8. roll — a cake
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. cap — a lid
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chip — for betting
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. deal — to handle
  24. arm — part of the body

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