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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: wound · date · temple · chip · game · toast · jam · suit

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. game — wild animals
  3. chip — to eat
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. wound — an injury
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. suit — in cards
  11. toast — bread
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. date — the fruit
  16. game — a match
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. suit — to fit
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. chip — for betting
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. suit — clothes
  24. wound — an injury

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