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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. chip — to eat
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — for betting
  7. mark — a trace
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. club — a group
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. band — a ring
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. club — for golf
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. mark — a grade
  21. foot — a measure
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. club — for dancing

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