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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
468
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: arm · chair · cue · hide · bound · temple · dip · sharp

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bound — obliged
  4. cue — a hint
  5. sharp — clever
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. dip — to sink
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. bound — tied together
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bound — certain
  18. cue — a signal
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. chair — a leader

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