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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. chip — to eat
  3. fork — in a road
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — a box
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. chest — of your body
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. court — of law
  13. rule — a law
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. court — of a king
  20. court — for sport
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. rule — government

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