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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. pit — a hole
  4. lean — to bend
  5. cell — in biology
  6. bore — to tire
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. mate — a friend
  9. hand — help
  10. pit — in a race
  11. mate — to breed
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bank — for money
  14. lean — thin
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. hand — in cards
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bore — to drill
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. cell — a phone

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