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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. shower — to wash
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cue — a signal
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. pop — to visit
  12. chip — for betting
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. cue — a hint
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wake — a trail
  20. cue — for pool
  21. pop — soda
  22. chip — to eat
  23. pop — music
  24. shower — rain

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