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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 120 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: temple · plane · firm · cell · chip · rash · ball · present

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. cell — in biology
  4. present — a gift
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — to eat
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. present — the time now
  12. cell — a phone
  13. firm — a company
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a great time
  16. present — there
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. firm — decided
  21. rash — a series
  22. firm — steady
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — a place of worship

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