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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  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. temple — a place of worship
  2. swing — music
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. pit — a hole
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. pit — in a race
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. rest — what's left
  12. game — wild animals
  13. suit — in cards
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. game — a match
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. rest — a break
  19. rest — what's left
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. suit — clothes
  22. swing — to play on
  23. swing — in golf
  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