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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. can — a tin
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. degree — from a university
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. lie — to recline
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. degree — temperature
  12. toast — bread
  13. degree — an amount
  14. mine — for digging
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. can — to be able to
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. can — a tin

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