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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 120 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.

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: temple · staff · leaves · squash · present · chest · pop · chip

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. squash — to crush
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. staff — a stick
  6. pop — to visit
  7. chest — of your body
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. present — the time now
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. chip — to eat
  13. present — there
  14. pop — music
  15. present — a gift
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. pop — soda
  18. chest — of your body
  19. staff — employees
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chest — a box
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. staff — employees
  24. temple — side of the head

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