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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: nail · rash · temple · wound · pit · cabinet · chip · hand

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. chip — for betting
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. chip — to eat
  7. pit — in a race
  8. hand — help
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. rash — a series
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. hand — in cards
  14. wound — an injury
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. rash — hasty
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. wound — an injury
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pit — a hole
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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