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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. firm — decided
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. degree — temperature
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. degree — an amount
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — a cup
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. degree — from a university
  14. chip — for betting
  15. rash — a series
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. pass — a permit
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. firm — steady
  20. rash — hasty
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. firm — a company
  23. mug — to rob
  24. arm — a part of something

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