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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
468
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: lie · scale · dip · bound · chip · game · arm · pit

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  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. arm — a part of something
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bound — obliged
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bound — tied together
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — for betting
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. scale — size or range
  14. lie — to recline
  15. chip — to eat
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bound — certain
  18. game — wild animals
  19. game — a match
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pit — in a race
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. dip — to sink
  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