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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. kid — to tease
  6. mark — a grade
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — in control
  9. pit — a hole
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bound — tied together
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. pit — in a race
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. charge — a price
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — to handle
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bound — certain
  22. kid — child
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bound — obliged

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