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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: lie · temple · snap · mate · jam · current · race · chip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. snap — to click
  3. mate — a partner
  4. current — of water
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. mate — to breed
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. lie — to recline
  12. current — happening now
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. race — the arms race
  16. race — humankind
  17. chip — for betting
  18. mate — a friend
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. current — electric
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. race — a contest
  24. temple — side of the head

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