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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.

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: sharp · chip · net · arm · content · squash · toast · calf

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. net — in sport
  5. toast — bread
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. net — after costs
  9. sharp — clever
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. squash — the sport
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. net — for catching
  17. content — happy
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. squash — to crush
  20. chip — for betting
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. chip — to eat
  23. content — the amount
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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