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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. rock — a stone
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bass — low music
  7. cell — in biology
  8. rock — music
  9. cell — a phone
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. chip — to eat
  14. saw — the tool
  15. chip — for betting
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. saw — the tool
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bass — the fish
  24. deal — an agreement

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