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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. court — for sport
  3. chip — for betting
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. pop — soda
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. root — of a plant
  8. can — to be able to
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pop — music
  11. stand — to bear
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. root — the cause
  14. chip — to eat
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. court — of law
  17. pop — to visit
  18. court — of a king
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. root — of a word
  24. coach — a trainer

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