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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. current — of water
  3. rule — a law
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. swing — music
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. swing — in golf
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rule — government
  11. pitch — completely
  12. roll — a cake
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. current — electric
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. swing — to play on
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. current — happening now
  21. roll — a list
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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