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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 haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. chip — to eat
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pop — music
  7. ground — crushed
  8. pop — soda
  9. chip — for betting
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. ground — the earth
  13. rash — a series
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. rash — hasty
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pop — to visit
  24. ground — a position

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