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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: game · foot · current · ball · chip · pitcher · trunk · arm

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. game — wild animals
  3. current — of water
  4. ball — a great time
  5. foot — a measure
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. ball — a dance
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. current — happening now
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. chip — for betting
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. current — electric
  22. chip — to eat
  23. game — a match
  24. pitcher — a jug

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