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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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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: pass · mouse · degree · wave · arm · calf · chip · face

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. face — to point toward
  3. chip — to eat
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. pass — a permit
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. face — part of the head
  8. face — to confront
  9. degree — temperature
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. degree — from a university
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. degree — an amount
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. chip — for betting
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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