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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: clip · chip · mate · drill · lie · temple · mark · present

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mate — a partner
  5. drill — army training
  6. chip — for betting
  7. clip — for paper
  8. clip — a video
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. present — there
  11. drill — the tool
  12. clip — to cut
  13. present — the time now
  14. mate — a friend
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. chip — to eat
  17. mate — to breed
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. present — a gift
  21. lie — to recline
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. drill — a practice

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