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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rest — what's left
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. pit — in a race
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. rest — a break
  13. scale — size or range
  14. rock — music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. capital — money
  18. capital — a city
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. scale — in music
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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