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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. pop — music
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. perch — the fish
  5. suit — clothes
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. dip — to sink
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pop — soda
  12. suit — to fit
  13. craft — a skill
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — to eat
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. suit — in cards
  19. chair — a leader
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. craft — boats
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. pop — to visit

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