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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. chip — for betting
  4. swing — music
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cell — a phone
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bass — low music
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. swing — to play on
  21. bass — the fish
  22. swing — in golf
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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