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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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Word bank
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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: pit · chip · press · rule · temple · last · spell · straw

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. chip — for betting
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. press — newspapers
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. last — final
  8. pit — a hole
  9. chip — to eat
  10. press — to push
  11. spell — a short time
  12. press — a publisher
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — in a race
  16. last — finally
  17. spell — magic
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. last — to go on
  20. rule — government
  21. rule — a law
  22. spell — letters
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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