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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. swing — in golf
  4. current — electric
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — to eat
  7. toast — bread
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. field — a subject
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. field — farmland
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. ball — a great time
  14. field — for sport
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. current — of water
  17. ball — a dance
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. rush — hurry
  21. current — happening now
  22. swing — to play on
  23. swing — music
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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