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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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: chip · arm · mate · sharp · object · key · trunk · nail

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  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. object — to protest
  2. chip — for betting
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. object — an aim
  6. chip — to eat
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. mate — to breed
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. key — the most important part
  11. key — in music
  12. object — a thing
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. sharp — clever
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mate — a partner
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. arm — part of the body
  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