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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: bay · rash · lie · foot · firm · court · mine · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. court — of a king
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. foot — a measure
  6. rash — a series
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. court — of law
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. firm — steady
  12. court — for sport
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rash — hasty
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. firm — decided
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. mine — for digging
  21. firm — a company
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. lie — to recline
  24. mine — an explosive

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