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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. present — the time now
  3. cell — a phone
  4. cell — in biology
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. present — there
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. scale — in music
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. present — a gift
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. scale — size or range
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bowl — a dish

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