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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. foot — a measure
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stock — shares
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. pitch — completely
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. stock — goods
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. wake — a trail

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