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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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. land — to come down
  3. chair — a leader
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. mug — a face
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. bear — the animal
  11. land — ground
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. mug — to rob
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. land — a country
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bear — the animal
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mug — a cup

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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