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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.

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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
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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: mug · temple · chair · arm · mouse · court · staff · shower

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. mug — a cup
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. shower — rain
  10. staff — a stick
  11. mug — a face
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. mug — to rob
  14. court — of a king
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. court — of law
  17. chair — a leader
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. court — for sport
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. shower — to wash

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