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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. chip — for betting
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. staff — employees
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. staff — employees
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rule — government
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rest — what's left
  15. spring — the season
  16. chip — to eat
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. staff — a stick
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. spring — a coil
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rule — a law
  23. spring — of water
  24. rest — what's left

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