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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. chip — for betting
  6. firm — steady
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. season — of the year
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. tube — the underground
  11. season — in sport
  12. chip — to eat
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. firm — a company
  16. kick — in football
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. firm — decided
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. tube — a container
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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