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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 120 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: bank · pit · firm · cabinet · staff · chest · arm · temple

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. staff — employees
  4. chest — of your body
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — a company
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bank — for money
  10. pit — a hole
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. pit — in a race
  14. firm — decided
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. staff — employees
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. staff — a stick
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. chest — of your body
  23. chest — a box
  24. cabinet — ministers

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