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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. chip — to eat
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wound — an injury
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. chip — for betting
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wound — an injury
  11. row — a line
  12. wind — moving air
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. row — to paddle
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lie — to recline
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. wind — moving air
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. safe — a strongbox

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