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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — decided
  4. pit — a hole
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chip — for betting
  8. pit — in a race
  9. firm — steady
  10. kick — in football
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. chip — to eat
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. board — a committee
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. board — to get on
  22. vault — a safe
  23. chest — a box
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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