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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.

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: temple · chip · hide · arm · foot · roll · staff · jam

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. chip — for betting
  3. staff — employees
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. roll — a cake
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. staff — employees
  10. chip — to eat
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. staff — a stick
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. roll — a list

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