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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. suit — in cards
  4. court — of law
  5. court — for sport
  6. charge — electricity
  7. march — the month
  8. band — a ring
  9. charge — a price
  10. suit — to fit
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. march — music
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. march — the month
  15. charge — in control
  16. suit — clothes
  17. court — of a king
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — a partner
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. band — a music group
  24. mate — to breed

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