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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 · bulb · pitcher · mark · object · bat · chip · straw

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. chip — for betting
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. mark — a grade
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. mark — a trace
  11. object — a thing
  12. bulb — for light
  13. object — to protest
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. chip — to eat
  21. object — an aim
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. mark — to pay attention

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