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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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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 · perch · chest · lie · pit · snap · bore · mark

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bore — to tire
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pit — a hole
  7. lie — to recline
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pit — in a race
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chest — of your body
  16. mark — a grade
  17. chip — to eat
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to click
  20. chest — a box
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. bore — to drill
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. perch — for a bird

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