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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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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: bowl · spring · wake · arm · bay · chair · chip · deal

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. chip — to eat
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. deal — to handle
  7. chair — a leader
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. chip — for betting
  15. spring — a coil
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. spring — of water
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. spring — the season
  24. chair — to sit on

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