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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bound — tied together
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. chip — to eat
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. ball — a dance
  10. dip — to sink
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. fine — all right
  13. mine — for digging
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bound — certain
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bound — obliged
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. foot — a measure
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. fine — high quality

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