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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: chest · key · safe · arm · degree · chip · lie · kick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. chest — a box
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. chip — for betting
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. degree — from a university
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. kick — in football
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. chest — of your body
  13. chest — of your body
  14. lie — to recline
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. key — the most important part
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. chip — to eat
  19. degree — temperature
  20. degree — an amount
  21. key — for a lock
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. key — in music

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