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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. cue — a signal
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. cue — for pool
  7. firm — decided
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. tear — from crying
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bank — for money
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. tear — from crying
  16. file — a tool
  17. file — a document
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. cue — a hint
  20. tear — to rip
  21. firm — a company
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. file — a line of people

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