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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. row — a line
  3. charge — in control
  4. press — a publisher
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — a price
  8. hand — help
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. press — to push
  13. press — newspapers
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. suit — to fit
  16. hand — in cards
  17. season — of the year
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — in sport
  21. row — to paddle
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. nail — on a finger

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