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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  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. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. hand — help
  6. lie — to recline
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. ball — a dance
  9. chip — to eat
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. club — a group
  13. cap — a hat
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. cap — of ice
  16. hand — in cards
  17. cap — a lid
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — for dancing
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. ball — a great time
  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