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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. rest — what's left
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. key — for a lock
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — in a race
  10. capital — money
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. key — the most important part
  14. lie — to recline
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. capital — a city
  18. key — in music
  19. can — to be able to
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. rest — a break
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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