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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. tube — the underground
  3. staff — a stick
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. pitch — completely
  7. staff — employees
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. mug — a cup
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. deal — to handle
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. staff — employees
  20. mug — to rob
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mug — a face
  23. tube — a container
  24. arm — part of the body

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