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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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. rock — a stone
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rock — music
  9. chip — for betting
  10. land — to come down
  11. chip — to eat
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. rule — a law
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wake — a trail
  18. land — ground
  19. land — a country
  20. rule — government
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — the fruit
  24. arm — part of the body

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