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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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. lean — to bend
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. march — the month
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. cell — in biology
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bear — the animal
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. game — a match
  17. march — music
  18. lean — thin
  19. bear — the animal
  20. cell — a phone
  21. march — the month
  22. bark — to shout
  23. game — wild animals
  24. lean — to rest against

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