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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. swing — music
  5. fall — the season
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. ground — the earth
  8. fall — to drop
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. toast — bread
  11. swing — in golf
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. ground — a position
  14. race — a contest
  15. race — the arms race
  16. swing — to play on
  17. mug — a face
  18. ground — crushed
  19. mug — a cup
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. race — humankind
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. mug — to rob

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