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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. charge — in control
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. present — a gift
  9. charge — electricity
  10. present — there
  11. date — the fruit
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. charge — a price
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. present — the time now
  24. pit — in a race

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