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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 120 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 computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. chip — to eat
  5. rock — music
  6. chip — for betting
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. pound — a weight
  10. land — a country
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. land — ground
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. court — of law
  19. rock — a stone
  20. court — of a king
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. court — for sport
  23. land — to come down
  24. nail — for a hammer

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