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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. chip — for betting
  3. swing — in golf
  4. rock — a stone
  5. net — in sport
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. charge — a price
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. charge — in control
  11. swing — music
  12. net — after costs
  13. charge — electricity
  14. chip — to eat
  15. net — for catching
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. snap — to click
  20. branch — a division
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. rock — music
  24. swing — to play on

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