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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. pit — in a race
  7. lie — to recline
  8. chip — to eat
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bass — low music
  11. bass — the fish
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. pit — a hole
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. chip — for betting
  23. foot — a measure
  24. arm — a part of something

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