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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. chip — to eat
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. firm — decided
  6. chip — for betting
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. bass — the fish
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. firm — steady
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. firm — a company
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. foot — a measure
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — what's left

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