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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: mouse · arm · hide · coach · rock · chip · mate · pit

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pit — a hole
  5. chip — to eat
  6. mate — a partner
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pit — in a race
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. mate — a friend
  13. rock — music
  14. chip — for betting
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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