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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.

Make a worksheet

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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468
Word bank
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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. rest — a break
  3. file — a line of people
  4. rest — what's left
  5. march — the month
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. rest — what's left
  9. file — a tool
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. file — a document
  16. wind — moving air
  17. plane — a tool
  18. march — the month
  19. lie — to recline
  20. march — music
  21. wind — moving air
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. chip — to eat

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