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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. row — to paddle
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. club — for dancing
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. club — a group
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. club — for golf
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. sharp — clever
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rush — hurry
  24. row — a line

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