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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. pound — a weight
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. charge — in control
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. charge — electricity
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. charge — a price
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. row — a line
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. row — to paddle
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. bulb — for light

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