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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 120 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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  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. temple — side of the head
  2. object — a thing
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. object — an aim
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. object — to protest
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. mine — for digging
  11. row — a line
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. deal — to handle
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. perch — the fish
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. row — to paddle
  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