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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. mug — a face
  4. kick — in football
  5. mark — a trace
  6. band — a ring
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. march — music
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. cue — for pool
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. march — the month
  15. cue — a signal
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mine — for digging
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. band — a music group
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. cue — a hint
  24. march — the month

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