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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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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: saw · temple · chip · cue · toast · ground · face · stand

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. cue — a hint
  5. face — part of the head
  6. stand — to bear
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. chip — to eat
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. ground — crushed
  11. toast — bread
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. chip — for betting
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. ground — a position
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. ground — the earth
  18. cue — a signal
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. face — to point toward
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. face — to confront
  23. saw — the tool
  24. cue — for pool

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