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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. chair — a leader
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. cue — for pool
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. cue — a signal
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — for betting
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. cue — a hint
  23. chip — to eat
  24. bowl — to roll

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