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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: wind · file · can · swing · arm · lie · chip · key

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. swing — in golf
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. chip — for betting
  5. key — for a lock
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. can — a tin
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. file — a document
  10. file — a tool
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. file — a line of people
  13. key — in music
  14. can — a tin
  15. swing — music
  16. can — to be able to
  17. wind — moving air
  18. key — the most important part
  19. lie — to recline
  20. wind — moving air
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. swing — to play on
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. lie — an untruth

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