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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. chip — for betting
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. spring — the season
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. chip — to eat
  12. foot — a measure
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — a stone
  17. spring — a coil
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. spring — of water
  24. fine — all right

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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