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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. chip — for betting
  3. tear — to rip
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tube — a container
  7. chip — to eat
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. ball — a dance
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. net — for catching
  12. mug — a cup
  13. rest — a break
  14. ball — a great time
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. mug — to rob
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. net — in sport
  21. mug — a face
  22. net — after costs
  23. tear — from crying
  24. tube — the underground

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