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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. tube — a container
  4. pit — a hole
  5. tube — the underground
  6. board — a committee
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. pit — in a race
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. track — to keep track
  16. track — a path
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. board — to get on
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — to lash out

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