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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: foot · bay · lean · ball · lie · arm · chip · present

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. present — there
  3. present — the time now
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. ball — a great time
  7. chip — to eat
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. present — a gift
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. foot — a measure
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. chip — for betting
  21. lean — thin
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. lie — to recline
  24. foot — the bottom

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