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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: degree · rush · date · hide · mouse · temple · lean · chip

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. rush — hurry
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. degree — an amount
  5. chip — for betting
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. chip — to eat
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. degree — temperature
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. lean — thin
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. date — the fruit
  23. degree — from a university
  24. mouse — the animal

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