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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. firm — decided
  4. present — the time now
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. kid — to tease
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. hand — in cards
  11. present — a gift
  12. firm — steady
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. chip — for betting
  16. firm — a company
  17. chip — to eat
  18. hand — help
  19. stem — to come from
  20. present — there
  21. kid — child
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. stem — a stem cell

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