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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. pit — a hole
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. mate — a partner
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pit — in a race
  12. mate — to breed
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. foot — a measure
  17. content — the amount
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. mate — a friend
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. content — happy
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. fork — in a road
  24. lash — to lash out

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