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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 120 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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. lie — to recline
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. net — after costs
  8. root — of a word
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. field — farmland
  14. stand — to bear
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. root — the cause
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. field — a subject
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. net — in sport
  21. field — for sport
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. root — of a plant
  24. net — for catching

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