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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. file — a line of people
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. tube — a container
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. file — a tool
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. squash — the sport
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. rush — hurry
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. tube — the underground
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. file — a document
  23. squash — to crush
  24. chip — to eat

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