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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.

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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. cap — a lid
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. tube — the underground
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. cap — a hat
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. cap — of ice
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. snap — to click
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. chip — for betting
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. tube — a container

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