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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bound — certain
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. present — a gift
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. present — there
  13. can — a tin
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — tied together
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. deal — to handle
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bear — the animal
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. can — a tin
  24. present — the time now

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