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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 took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. rest — what's left
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. pit — a hole
  6. file — a document
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — a measure
  11. rest — what's left
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. mate — a partner
  14. shower — to wash
  15. mate — to breed
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. file — a tool
  18. file — a line of people
  19. plane — a tool
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rest — a break
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. mate — a friend
  24. pit — in a race

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