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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stick · temple · chip · rest · face · race

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. chip — to eat
  3. race — humankind
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — a break
  6. face — part of the head
  7. race — a contest
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. race — the arms race
  10. face — to confront
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. face — to point toward
  13. chip — for betting
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rest — what's left
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head

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