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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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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: chest · bowl · firm · rush · saw · chip · arm · cue

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. rush — hurry
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. cue — a hint
  5. chest — of your body
  6. cue — a signal
  7. chip — for betting
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. chip — to eat
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. firm — a company
  12. chest — a box
  13. firm — decided
  14. cue — for pool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. chest — of your body
  21. firm — steady
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. rush — to hurry

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