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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — a hole
  4. net — for catching
  5. rule — a law
  6. net — after costs
  7. charge — in control
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. drill — the tool
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — electricity
  12. drill — army training
  13. pit — in a race
  14. drill — a practice
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. net — in sport
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pound — a weight
  22. rule — government
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. rule — to rule out

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