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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. face — to confront
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. wound — an injury
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. chip — to eat
  11. face — part of the head
  12. chip — for betting
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. face — to point toward
  15. rash — a series
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. rash — hasty
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. wound — an injury

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