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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. mark — a grade
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bound — tied together
  6. chip — for betting
  7. pitch — completely
  8. staff — employees
  9. bound — certain
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. rule — a law
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. rule — government
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mark — a trace
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bound — obliged
  20. chip — to eat
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

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