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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: chip · court · temple · lie · mine · fine · game · rash

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. rash — hasty
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. fine — high quality
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. game — a match
  11. chip — for betting
  12. court — of law
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. court — for sport
  16. game — wild animals
  17. chip — to eat
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rash — a series
  20. court — of a king
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. fine — all right
  24. lie — to recline

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