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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. drill — army training
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. capital — money
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. charge — a price
  8. drill — the tool
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. rock — music
  12. bark — to shout
  13. rest — a break
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. charge — in control
  18. capital — a city
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. rest — what's left
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. rest — what's left
  23. charge — electricity
  24. temple — a place of worship

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