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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. march — music
  3. dip — to sink
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. march — the month
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. band — a ring
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. staff — a stick
  16. band — a music group
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. staff — employees
  19. march — the month
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. staff — employees

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