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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. kid — child
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. cue — a signal
  10. pit — a hole
  11. cell — a phone
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cue — for pool
  14. kid — to tease
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. cue — a hint
  18. dip — to sink
  19. cell — in biology
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. cell — in a prison

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