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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  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. dip — a sauce
  2. prune — to trim
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. prune — to trim
  5. dip — to sink
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. lean — thin
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. lean — to bend
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. coach — a trainer
  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