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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. pop — music
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. pop — to visit
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. ball — a dance
  9. press — to push
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — to bear
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. press — a publisher
  16. charge — in control
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. press — newspapers
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. charge — a price
  22. charge — electricity
  23. pop — soda
  24. ball — a great time

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