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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 120 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: chip · cap · temple · prune · leaves · staff · arm · deal

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. staff — a stick
  4. cap — a hat
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. deal — to handle
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chip — to eat
  9. staff — employees
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. prune — to trim
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. prune — to trim
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. staff — employees
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. cap — of ice
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. cap — a lid

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