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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: deal · temple · current · bat · chip · face · hand · mouse

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. face — to confront
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bat — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. current — electric
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. hand — help
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. hand — in cards
  17. chip — for betting
  18. face — to point toward
  19. current — of water
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. face — part of the head
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. deal — to handle
  24. temple — a place of worship

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