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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. charge — electricity
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. spring — of water
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. charge — in control
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. spring — the season
  11. roll — a list
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. date — the fruit
  17. rest — what's left
  18. toast — bread
  19. rest — a break
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. spring — a coil
  23. charge — a price
  24. roll — a cake

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