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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. He is an ace ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. rash — hasty
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — for pool
  7. pitch — completely
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. can — a tin
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. rash — a series
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. can — to be able to
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. march — the month
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. cue — a hint
  20. can — a tin
  21. march — music
  22. vault — a safe
  23. march — the month
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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