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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. firm — steady
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. clip — for paper
  9. lean — thin
  10. clip — a video
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — of ice
  14. clip — to cut
  15. lean — to bend
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. firm — decided
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. cap — a lid
  21. firm — a company
  22. foot — a measure
  23. dip — to sink
  24. cabinet — ministers

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