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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. toast — bread
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bark — to shout
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. stem — to come from
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. lie — to recline
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. mark — a grade
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bark — of a tree

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