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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 120 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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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 — clothes
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. sharp — clever
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. suit — in cards
  15. lean — thin
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bulb — for light
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a song
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. track — a path
  24. sharp — with an edge

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