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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: arm · mouse · hand · pit · lie · row · cue · net

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cue — for pool
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. net — after costs
  6. net — in sport
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. cue — a signal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. lie — to recline
  16. row — to paddle
  17. pit — in a race
  18. cue — a hint
  19. net — for catching
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. row — a line
  22. hand — in cards
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. hand — help

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