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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: pitcher · chip · rock · arm · mark · bat · foot · stick

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. foot — a measure
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chip — for betting
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. rock — a stone
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. mark — a trace
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. rock — music
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rock — to move gently

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