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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. content — the amount
  4. kid — child
  5. kid — to tease
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bank — of a river
  8. chip — to eat
  9. foot — a measure
  10. swing — to play on
  11. bank — for money
  12. swing — in golf
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. bank — for money
  15. swing — music
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. content — happy
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — hurry
  24. chip — for betting

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