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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. rock — music
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. dip — to sink
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. lean — thin
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. rash — a series
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. rush — hurry
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rash — hasty
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — a grade
  21. lean — to bend
  22. rock — a stone
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — a partner

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