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

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stand — to bear
  3. chip — to eat
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. season — in sport
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. tube — a container
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. ball — a great time
  18. season — of the year
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. tube — the underground
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. chip — for betting
  24. tube — in a tire

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