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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: suit · mark · lie · arm · hand · kick · charge · pit

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. mark — a grade
  4. hand — help
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. charge — a price
  7. suit — in cards
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pit — in a race
  11. charge — electricity
  12. lie — to recline
  13. hand — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. suit — clothes
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. charge — in control
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. mark — a trace
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pit — a hole
  24. kick — in football

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