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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 120 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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. suit — clothes
  6. perch — the fish
  7. pass — a permit
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. can — a tin
  12. suit — in cards
  13. can — a tin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. board — a committee
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. board — to get on
  19. can — to be able to
  20. suit — to fit
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. perch — for a bird

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