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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. clip — for paper
  10. clip — to cut
  11. chair — a leader
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. chip — for betting
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. dip — to sink
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. clip — a video
  22. chip — to eat
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. safe — out of danger

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