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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. chip — for betting
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. face — to point toward
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. hand — in cards
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — in music
  11. pit — a hole
  12. plane — a tool
  13. pit — in a race
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. chip — to eat
  17. hand — help
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. face — part of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. key — the most important part
  24. face — to confront

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