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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. game — a match
  4. pop — music
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. mark — a trace
  10. pop — soda
  11. mark — a grade
  12. fall — to drop
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. suit — to fit
  15. pop — to visit
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. game — wild animals
  20. branch — a division
  21. fall — the season
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. suit — in cards

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