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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. court — for sport
  4. rash — a series
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. tube — a container
  9. present — the time now
  10. court — of a king
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. court — of law
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. kick — in football
  16. present — a gift
  17. chip — to eat
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. present — there
  20. rash — hasty
  21. tube — the underground
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. chip — for betting
  24. temple — a place of worship

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