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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. root — the cause
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. charge — a price
  6. press — to push
  7. bore — to drill
  8. press — newspapers
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bore — to tire
  11. root — of a word
  12. press — a publisher
  13. saw — the tool
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. ball — a dance
  17. charge — electricity
  18. saw — the tool
  19. charge — in control
  20. ball — a great time
  21. root — of a plant
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — a break

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