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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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. chest — of your body
  6. mate — a friend
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. mate — a partner
  10. suit — clothes
  11. chip — for betting
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. squash — to crush
  18. suit — to fit
  19. chip — to eat
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. chest — a box
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mate — to breed
  24. rush — hurry

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