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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
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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: chest · ruler · chip · pitcher · fan · foot · bass · lie

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. lie — to recline
  3. chip — to eat
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bass — low music
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. chest — a box
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. foot — a measure
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. chest — of your body
  21. chest — of your body
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bass — the fish
  24. ruler — for measuring

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