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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.

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: season · spell · chip · arm · chair · rock · foot · tube

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. chair — a leader
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. season — of the year
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. foot — a measure
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. spell — magic
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. tube — the underground
  16. chip — for betting
  17. season — in sport
  18. rock — a stone
  19. chip — to eat
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. tube — a container
  23. spell — letters
  24. spell — a short time

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