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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. mine — for digging
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. scale — size or range
  6. rock — music
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. charge — in control
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. charge — a price
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. snap — to click
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. scale — in music
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. charge — electricity
  20. rock — a stone
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bear — the animal
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. rock — to move gently

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