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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. suit — to fit
  3. charge — electricity
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. key — the most important part
  9. cap — of ice
  10. suit — clothes
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. key — in music
  13. foot — a measure
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. cap — a lid
  18. key — for a lock
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. charge — in control
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. cap — a hat
  23. charge — a price
  24. rush — hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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