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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.

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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: coach · chip · dip · temple · rule · hide · leaves · clip

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — for betting
  5. clip — to cut
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. rule — a law
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. clip — a video
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. chip — to eat
  17. clip — for paper
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. dip — to sink
  24. rule — government

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