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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: race · chip · row · rest · lie · present · net · foot

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. race — humankind
  6. foot — a measure
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rest — what's left
  13. present — there
  14. race — a contest
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — in sport
  17. present — the time now
  18. present — a gift
  19. chip — for betting
  20. row — to paddle
  21. net — for catching
  22. race — the arms race
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. chip — to eat

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