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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  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. bat — the animal
  2. mug — a cup
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. mug — to rob
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pound — a weight
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. lean — thin
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — to bend
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. chip — for betting
  20. mug — a face
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. leaves — lets stay
  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