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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · foot · arm · rock · face · degree · squash

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. foot — a measure
  3. face — to point toward
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. degree — from a university
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. squash — to crush
  8. degree — temperature
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — music
  11. chip — for betting
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. degree — an amount
  17. face — part of the head
  18. chip — to eat
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. squash — the sport
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. face — to confront

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