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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: arm · press · chest · lie · pit · can · rest · temple

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. can — to be able to
  5. press — newspapers
  6. rest — a break
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. chest — of your body
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. can — a tin
  11. pit — in a race
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. press — a publisher
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. rest — what's left
  19. chest — a box
  20. rest — what's left
  21. can — a tin
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. chest — of your body
  24. press — to push

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