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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 will it ________________ you to start?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. suit — to fit
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. suit — clothes
  5. clip — a video
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. court — for sport
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — for betting
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. chip — to eat
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. court — of law
  17. clip — to cut
  18. clip — for paper
  19. suit — in cards
  20. court — of a king
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. plane — a tool
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. plane — an aircraft

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