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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: arm · bore · dip · lie · rush · temple · wax · chip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. chip — for betting
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. bore — to drill
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bore — to tire
  13. wax — to grow
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. lie — to recline
  16. dip — to sink
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. rush — hurry
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. bore — gave birth

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