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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. pit — a hole
  3. stock — shares
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. chip — to eat
  11. face — part of the head
  12. season — of the year
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stock — goods
  17. bank — for money
  18. face — to point toward
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. face — to confront
  22. chip — for betting
  23. season — in sport
  24. pit — in a race

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