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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. fine — all right
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. field — farmland
  6. lean — thin
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. game — wild animals
  9. game — a match
  10. pit — in a race
  11. field — a subject
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. toast — bread
  15. cue — for pool
  16. fine — high quality
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. cue — a hint
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. lean — to bend
  23. cue — a signal
  24. field — for sport

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