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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bound — certain
  4. club — for golf
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bound — obliged
  8. club — for dancing
  9. bound — tied together
  10. chip — for betting
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. lie — to recline
  15. club — a group
  16. rest — what's left
  17. chip — to eat
  18. lie — an untruth

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