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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. pit — in a race
  3. mate — a friend
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. net — after costs
  6. fine — all right
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. net — for catching
  10. mate — to breed
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. fine — high quality
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. present — a gift
  15. pit — a hole
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. present — the time now
  18. mate — a partner
  19. dip — to sink
  20. net — in sport
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. dip — to dunk

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