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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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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: mine · cabinet · pit · lie · scale · arm · pitch · dip

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. lie — to recline
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. dip — to sink
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. scale — size or range
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pit — in a race
  14. scale — in music
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. mine — for digging
  24. pitch — completely

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