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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: face · bay · pass · key · arm · object · chip · stand

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. face — to confront
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. chip — to eat
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. key — in music
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — to bear
  12. face — part of the head
  13. pass — a permit
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. object — to protest
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. key — the most important part
  18. face — to point toward
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. object — an aim
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. object — a thing
  23. key — for a lock
  24. chip — in a computer

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