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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. rash — a series
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. ball — a dance
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. rash — hasty
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to confront
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a great time
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. mine — for digging
  24. face — to point toward

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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