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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. roll — a list
  3. prune — to trim
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. prune — to trim
  6. object — an aim
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. squash — the sport
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. object — to protest
  13. bass — low music
  14. squash — to crush
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. roll — a cake
  17. bass — the fish
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pit — in a race
  22. object — a thing
  23. lie — to recline
  24. pit — a hole

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