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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. hand — help
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. can — a tin
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. stand — to bear
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. hand — in cards
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — hurry
  18. kid — child
  19. kid — to tease
  20. pass — a permit
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. temple — a place of worship

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