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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. present — a gift
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. present — there
  12. capital — money
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — the season
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. sharp — clever
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. present — the time now
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. capital — a city
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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