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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: mouse · spell · arm · object · tube · chip · lean · board

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. chip — to eat
  4. object — to protest
  5. spell — magic
  6. spell — a short time
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. tube — a container
  13. object — an aim
  14. tube — the underground
  15. board — a committee
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. spell — letters
  19. lean — to bend
  20. board — to get on
  21. object — a thing
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. mouse — the animal
  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