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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. mate — a partner
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rock — a stone
  6. last — to go on
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. mate — to breed
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. chip — for betting
  11. root — of a plant
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. face — to confront
  14. rock — music
  15. root — the cause
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. last — finally
  18. chip — to eat
  19. face — part of the head
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. last — final
  22. root — of a word
  23. face — to point toward
  24. mate — a friend

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