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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bank — of a river
  4. face — to point toward
  5. chip — to eat
  6. wake — a trail
  7. suit — clothes
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. mark — a trace
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — part of the head
  13. chip — for betting
  14. mark — a grade
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bat — the animal
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bank — for money
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bank — for money
  24. bat — for baseball

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