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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mark — a grade
  4. kick — in football
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. rock — a stone
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. chest — of your body
  11. chest — of your body
  12. rock — music
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. mark — a trace
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. 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