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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.

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: mate · board · pop · clip · chip · temple · bulb · lash

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. pop — soda
  4. chip — to eat
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. chip — for betting
  7. mate — a partner
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. clip — for paper
  10. clip — a video
  11. bulb — for light
  12. clip — to cut
  13. mate — to breed
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. pop — to visit
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. pop — music
  22. board — to get on
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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