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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. chest — of your body
  3. can — a tin
  4. swing — music
  5. can — to be able to
  6. toast — bread
  7. swing — in golf
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. hand — in cards
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. chest — of your body
  13. hand — help
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. swing — to play on
  17. pass — a permit
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. chest — a box
  21. chip — for betting
  22. can — a tin
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. toast — the most admired

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