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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. land — ground
  3. tube — the underground
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. tube — a container
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. firm — decided
  8. land — to come down
  9. scale — in music
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. land — a country
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. firm — steady
  16. mate — a friend
  17. face — to point toward
  18. mate — a partner
  19. face — to confront
  20. firm — a company
  21. mate — to breed
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rush — hurry
  24. face — part of the head

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