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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. cap — a hat
  5. chip — to eat
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. craft — boats
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — a gift
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. craft — a skill
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. present — there
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. cell — a phone
  18. cap — a lid
  19. foot — a measure
  20. chip — for betting
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. cell — in biology
  24. nail — for a hammer

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