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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: arm · board · mate · tube · chip · temple · season · prune

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. tube — a container
  4. mate — a friend
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — to eat
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. prune — to trim
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. tube — the underground
  14. board — to get on
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. season — of the year
  17. mate — a partner
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. season — in sport
  20. board — a committee
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. prune — to trim
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. mate — to breed

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