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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. capital — a city
  3. suit — to fit
  4. mark — a grade
  5. capital — money
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. toast — bread
  8. mark — a trace
  9. suit — in cards
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. kick — in football
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. sharp — with an edge

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