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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: arm · racket · lie · chip · plane · bound · snap · dip

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. lie — to recline
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to click
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bound — certain
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bound — tied together
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. chip — to eat
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bound — obliged
  19. plane — a tool
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. dip — to sink
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. chip — for betting

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