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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: pass · foot · arm · stick · capital · chip · object · date

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. object — to protest
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. object — a thing
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. chip — to eat
  8. capital — money
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. capital — a city
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. pass — a permit
  14. chip — for betting
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. object — an aim
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. foot — a measure
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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