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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. chip — for betting
  4. date — the fruit
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. present — there
  7. present — the time now
  8. present — a gift
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. face — to point toward
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. roll — a cake
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. face — part of the head
  20. chip — to eat
  21. face — to confront
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. roll — a list
  24. stand — for spectators

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