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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. saw — the tool
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. shower — rain
  9. mark — a trace
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. chip — for betting
  13. rock — music
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. rock — a stone
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mug — a cup
  19. saw — the tool
  20. foot — a measure
  21. mug — a face
  22. shower — to wash
  23. mark — a grade
  24. chip — to eat

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