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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. charge — in control
  3. perch — the fish
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. suit — in cards
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. game — wild animals
  8. charge — electricity
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. suit — clothes
  11. mark — a grade
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. suit — to fit
  14. toast — bread
  15. mark — a trace
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. wake — a trail
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. game — a match
  24. charge — a price

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