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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  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. temple — side of the head
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — a weight
  4. stand — to bear
  5. fall — the season
  6. snap — to click
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. root — of a plant
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. mate — a friend
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — in golf
  15. swing — to play on
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. root — the cause
  18. fall — to drop
  19. root — of a word
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. fall — to drop
  22. mate — a partner
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  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