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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. lie — to recline
  7. chip — to eat
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. game — a match
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. toast — bread
  13. stock — shares
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. pass — a permit
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. chip — for betting
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. game — wild animals
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. stock — goods
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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