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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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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 · band · ground · deal · foot · temple · row · cue

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a line
  4. cue — a signal
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. deal — to handle
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a hint
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. foot — a measure
  12. ground — a position
  13. chip — for betting
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. ground — crushed
  16. band — a music group
  17. ground — the earth
  18. band — a ring
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. foot — part of the body

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