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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bore — to tire
  8. ball — a great time
  9. snap — to click
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. current — electric
  12. current — of water
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bore — to drill
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. date — the fruit
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. current — happening now
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bowl — a dish

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