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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. wound — an injury
  5. last — to go on
  6. last — finally
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cue — a signal
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. toast — bread
  12. track — to keep track
  13. cap — of ice
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. wound — an injury
  16. last — final
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. track — a path
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. cue — a hint
  24. track — a song

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