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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. present — a gift
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. present — the time now
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. present — there
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. mark — a grade
  13. swing — in golf
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. shower — to wash
  17. tube — the underground
  18. shower — rain
  19. tube — a container
  20. swing — music
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. swing — to play on
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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