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

Word bank: lash · present · content · arm · pitch · chip · temple · cabinet

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. chip — to eat
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. present — the time now
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. present — a gift
  12. content — the amount
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. content — happy
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. pitch — completely
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. chip — for betting
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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