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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — to point toward
  4. chip — to eat
  5. key — the most important part
  6. can — a tin
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. wind — moving air
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. plane — a tool
  12. rash — a series
  13. can — a tin
  14. key — in music
  15. face — part of the head
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. wind — moving air
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rash — hasty
  21. chip — for betting
  22. can — to be able to
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. key — for a lock

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