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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. sharp — clever
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. object — an aim
  5. mark — a grade
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. mark — a trace
  8. object — to protest
  9. bear — the animal
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. object — a thing
  14. pit — in a race
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pit — a hole
  17. net — after costs
  18. net — in sport
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. net — for catching
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. rush — hurry

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