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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. plane — a tool
  6. spring — a coil
  7. spring — the season
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — newspapers
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. spring — of water
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. press — to push
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. chip — for betting

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