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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. tube — the underground
  3. fine — high quality
  4. cell — a phone
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. current — of water
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. chest — of your body
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — electric
  11. staff — employees
  12. cell — in biology
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. fine — all right
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chest — a box
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. staff — a stick
  20. tube — a container
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. staff — employees
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. temple — side of the head

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