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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. object — an aim
  8. craft — a skill
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. game — a match
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. chip — to eat
  13. object — to protest
  14. dip — to sink
  15. craft — boats
  16. game — wild animals
  17. chip — for betting
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. object — a thing
  24. dip — to dunk

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