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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. sharp — clever
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — electricity
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. wake — a trail
  10. foot — a measure
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. charge — in control
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. foot — the bottom

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