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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. bulb — for light
  5. cell — in biology
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. object — to protest
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. object — an aim
  12. capital — a city
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. firm — steady
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. capital — money
  18. object — a thing
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — decided
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. fine — high quality
  23. cell — a phone
  24. jam — a tight spot

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