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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: chip · swing · club · cap · temple · lean · fine · ruler

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. fine — all right
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. swing — music
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. chip — for betting
  7. cap — a lid
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — in golf
  11. lean — thin
  12. cap — a hat
  13. club — for dancing
  14. fine — high quality
  15. club — a group
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. club — for golf
  18. cap — of ice
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — to bend
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. chip — to eat

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