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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. lean — to bend
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. march — music
  9. fall — to drop
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. hand — help
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. suit — clothes
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. suit — in cards
  16. lean — thin
  17. fall — the season
  18. march — the month
  19. hand — in cards
  20. pound — a weight
  21. fall — to drop
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. suit — to fit

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