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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 120 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. march — music
  3. object — an aim
  4. pit — a hole
  5. march — the month
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. lean — thin
  9. tube — the underground
  10. tube — a container
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. object — a thing
  14. stock — goods
  15. march — the month
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. stock — shares
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. pit — in a race
  21. object — to protest
  22. lean — to bend
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

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