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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: game · toast · mate · bowl · chip · temple · pit · row

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. row — a line
  5. mate — a partner
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. chip — to eat
  12. toast — bread
  13. game — wild animals
  14. game — a match
  15. mate — to breed
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. pit — a hole
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. pit — in a race
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. mate — a friend

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