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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. mug — a cup
  3. season — of the year
  4. present — the time now
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. wake — a trail
  8. rash — a series
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. present — a gift
  11. mug — to rob
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rest — a break
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. present — there
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rest — what's left
  20. lean — thin
  21. mug — a face
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. season — in sport
  24. lean — to bend

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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