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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  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. can — to be able to
  2. fine — high quality
  3. lean — thin
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. pit — in a race
  7. root — the cause
  8. cold — an illness
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. lean — to bend
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. fine — all right
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. root — of a word
  17. cold — not warm
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. root — of a plant
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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