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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bound — obliged
  7. suit — in cards
  8. charge — in control
  9. perch — the fish
  10. bound — tied together
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bark — to shout
  13. chip — to eat
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. spell — letters
  16. charge — a price
  17. spell — magic
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. chip — for betting
  20. charge — electricity
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bound — certain
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bark — of a tree

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