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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. mark — a trace
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. track — a song
  7. squash — to crush
  8. mark — a grade
  9. cap — of ice
  10. cap — a hat
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. squash — the sport
  15. shower — rain
  16. pit — in a race
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. track — a path
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cap — a lid
  21. track — to keep track
  22. pit — a hole
  23. shower — to wash
  24. perch — the fish

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