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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. chip — to eat
  3. pass — a permit
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. fork — in a road
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. track — a song
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. foot — a measure
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. spring — of water
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. spring — the season
  15. chip — for betting
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a dance
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. track — to keep track
  21. ball — a great time
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. track — a path

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