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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. chip — for betting
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. scale — size or range
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mug — a cup
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. chip — to eat
  10. foot — a measure
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. band — a music group
  13. wound — an injury
  14. band — a ring
  15. wound — an injury
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. scale — in music
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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