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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bulb — for light
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. pop — to visit
  7. toast — bread
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — steady
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. kick — in football
  12. firm — decided
  13. bulb — for light
  14. last — to go on
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. pop — music
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. last — finally
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. last — final
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. temple — side of the head

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