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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. chip — for betting
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. content — the amount
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chest — a box
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. chest — of your body
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. content — happy
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chest — of your body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. lie — to recline

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