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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. kick — in football
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. scale — in music
  8. charge — in control
  9. scale — size or range
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. charge — electricity
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. snap — to click
  23. charge — a price
  24. kick — a thrill

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