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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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468
Word bank
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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 are we going to ________________?
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. cue — a signal
  6. current — happening now
  7. land — ground
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. current — of water
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. cue — for pool
  17. capital — a city
  18. cue — a hint
  19. stand — to bear
  20. capital — money
  21. land — a country
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. current — electric
  24. temple — a place of worship

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