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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. track — to keep track
  6. hand — in cards
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. pit — in a race
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — the season
  14. hand — help
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. track — a song
  17. track — a path
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. chip — for betting
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bat — the animal
  24. pit — a hole

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