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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 120 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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. cell — in biology
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. rest — a break
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rash — hasty
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. foot — a measure
  16. perch — the fish
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. rash — a series
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. cell — a phone
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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