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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — to sink
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. band — a music group
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bear — the animal
  11. object — a thing
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. sharp — clever
  18. chip — for betting
  19. object — to protest
  20. band — a ring
  21. mine — for digging
  22. object — an aim
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mine — belonging to me

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