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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. lean — thin
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. dip — to sink
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. rush — hurry
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. mate — to breed
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. mate — a friend
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. mate — a partner
  21. fork — in a road
  22. lean — to bend
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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