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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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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: chip · mine · swing · straw · lie · club · foot · suit

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. club — for dancing
  5. chip — for betting
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. chip — to eat
  8. suit — in cards
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. foot — a measure
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. club — a group
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. club — for golf
  16. suit — to fit
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. swing — in golf
  20. mine — for digging
  21. swing — to play on
  22. suit — clothes
  23. swing — music
  24. straw — a straw man

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