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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. bass — the fish
  3. foot — a measure
  4. content — the amount
  5. kick — in football
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. march — the month
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. cell — a phone
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. cell — in biology
  17. bass — low music
  18. march — the month
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. march — music
  22. content — happy
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bass — the instrument

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