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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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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: face · pop · content · mouse · branch · chip · tear · temple

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. branch — a division
  4. chip — for betting
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. pop — soda
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. content — happy
  12. pop — music
  13. pop — to visit
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. tear — to rip
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. chip — to eat
  19. face — to confront
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. face — part of the head
  22. content — the amount
  23. tear — from crying
  24. face — to point toward

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