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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — steady
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — thin
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. swing — music
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. mark — a trace
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mark — a grade
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. swing — to play on
  19. firm — a company
  20. stand — to bear
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. swing — in golf
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. rest — a break

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