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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. chip — to eat
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. lean — to bend
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. vault — a safe
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. pop — soda
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. pop — music
  17. pop — to visit
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. chip — for betting
  20. lean — thin
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. sharp — with an edge

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