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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: stick · temple · chip · rest · face · race · key · rock

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. face — part of the head
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rest — a break
  6. rock — a stone
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. race — the arms race
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. face — to confront
  11. key — for a lock
  12. race — humankind
  13. face — to point toward
  14. key — in music
  15. key — the most important part
  16. rock — music
  17. rest — what's left
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. race — a contest
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. chip — for betting

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