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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 120 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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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: object · pit · chip · content · arm · wound · temple · fine

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. fine — all right
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. object — an aim
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. pit — in a race
  13. content — the amount
  14. chip — for betting
  15. wound — an injury
  16. pit — a hole
  17. content — happy
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. fine — high quality
  20. object — to protest
  21. wound — an injury
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. object — a thing
  24. temple — a place of worship

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