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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. chip — for betting
  3. swing — music
  4. prune — to trim
  5. swing — to play on
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. chip — to eat
  8. rule — government
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. prune — to trim
  12. swing — in golf
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — a trail
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rule — a law
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. kick — in football
  24. temple — side of the head

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