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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  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. ruler — a monarch
  3. field — for sport
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. dip — to sink
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — for betting
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. field — farmland
  11. content — the amount
  12. tube — the underground
  13. pop — music
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. field — a subject
  17. content — happy
  18. tube — a container
  19. pop — soda
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. pop — to visit
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. chip — to eat
  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