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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: game · mate · lie · dip · wound · bowl · safe · arm

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. game — a match
  4. wound — an injury
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wound — an injury
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. game — wild animals
  13. dip — to sink
  14. mate — to breed
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. lie — to recline
  21. mate — a friend
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. arm — part of the body

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