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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. prune — to trim
  5. march — music
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. march — the month
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — a stick
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. march — the month
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. rock — a stone
  16. cold — an illness
  17. toast — bread
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. cold — not warm
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. rock — music
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. temple — a place of worship

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