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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.

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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: stick · bat · pound · chip · safe · arm · mark · coach

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pound — a weight
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bat — the animal
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a trace
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. chip — for betting

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