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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.

Make a worksheet

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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — in control
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. bear — the animal
  8. charge — a price
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. net — in sport
  11. bear — the animal
  12. net — after costs
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. wound — an injury
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. wake — a trail
  19. sharp — clever
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. net — for catching
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. wound — an injury
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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