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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pit — in a race
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. pit — a hole
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. last — final
  10. charge — in control
  11. last — to go on
  12. bear — the animal
  13. charge — a price
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. last — finally
  18. charge — electricity

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