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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. firm — steady
  4. face — to point toward
  5. mug — to rob
  6. hand — help
  7. bank — of a river
  8. face — part of the head
  9. firm — a company
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bank — for money
  12. face — to confront
  13. file — a tool
  14. bank — for money
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. chip — to eat
  17. file — a line of people
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. mug — a cup
  20. firm — decided
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. file — a document
  24. hand — in cards

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