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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. branch — a division
  4. spring — of water
  5. rest — a break
  6. spring — the season
  7. spring — a coil
  8. lie — to recline
  9. face — to confront
  10. chip — to eat
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. face — part of the head
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. face — to point toward
  24. mouse — the animal

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