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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  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. last — finally
  2. chip — to eat
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. wake — a trail
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. chip — for betting
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. club — for golf
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. club — a group
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. last — to go on
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. club — for dancing
  20. last — final
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. pitch — completely
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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