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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 120 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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. net — for catching
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. stand — to bear
  8. track — a path
  9. track — a song
  10. club — a group
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. lean — to bend
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. track — to keep track
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. club — for dancing
  17. lean — thin
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. club — for golf
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. net — after costs
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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