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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. drill — a practice
  3. lean — to bend
  4. chip — for betting
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. lean — thin
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. chip — to eat
  11. current — electric
  12. object — a thing
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. current — of water
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. drill — the tool
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. current — happening now
  21. drill — army training
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. object — an aim
  24. object — to protest

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