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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. chip — to eat
  3. rest — what's left
  4. lie — to recline
  5. rest — a break
  6. saw — the tool
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. saw — the tool
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. stem — to come from
  14. rest — what's left
  15. chip — for betting
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. branch — a division
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. temple — a place of worship

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