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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
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 · mug · hand · chip · staff · mouse · stick · plane

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. plane — a tool
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — a face
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — for betting
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. chip — to eat
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. hand — in cards
  15. mug — to rob
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. staff — a stick
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. hand — help
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. mouse — the animal

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