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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. firm — decided
  4. march — music
  5. march — the month
  6. mug — to rob
  7. march — the month
  8. firm — steady
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mug — a face
  12. firm — a company
  13. pass — a permit
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. lie — to recline
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. root — the cause
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. root — of a plant
  23. root — of a word
  24. pass — to spend time

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