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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. root — of a word
  3. bound — certain
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. fine — all right
  8. sharp — clever
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. pit — a hole
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bound — tied together
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bat — the animal
  16. root — the cause
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bound — obliged
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. fine — high quality
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. root — of a plant

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