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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. root — the cause
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. net — in sport
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. root — of a word
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. root — of a plant
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. net — for catching
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. net — after costs
  24. pit — a hole

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