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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. face — to confront
  3. charge — a price
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rush — hurry
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bound — tied together
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — a friend
  11. bound — obliged
  12. suit — to fit
  13. mate — to breed
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bound — certain
  18. face — part of the head
  19. face — to point toward
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — in cards
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. charge — in control
  24. rush — a thrill

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