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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. cell — a phone
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. foot — a measure
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. degree — temperature
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. degree — from a university
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. degree — an amount
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. cell — in biology
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. lie — to recline
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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