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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: chip · temple · mug · file · ball · root · cue · mine

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. root — of a word
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. ball — a great time
  7. file — a tool
  8. mug — to rob
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cue — a signal
  11. file — a line of people
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mug — a face
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. root — the cause
  16. mine — for digging
  17. file — a document
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. root — of a plant
  20. chip — to eat
  21. cue — for pool
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a round shape

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