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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. charge — a price
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. charge — electricity
  7. fall — to drop
  8. charge — in control
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. fall — to drop
  13. cap — a lid
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cap — a hat
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. fall — the season
  19. toast — bread
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. cap — of ice
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cabinet — ministers

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