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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: chip · arm · suit · staff · rock · lash · present · bat

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. staff — a stick
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. suit — clothes
  7. staff — employees
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rock — a stone
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. rock — music
  14. staff — employees
  15. bat — the animal
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. present — there
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — the time now

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