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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. branch — a division
  3. bass — low music
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. suit — to fit
  16. toast — bread
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bass — the fish
  21. kick — in football
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — the season
  24. branch — 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