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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  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. kick — in football
  2. foot — a measure
  3. squash — the sport
  4. cell — in biology
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. cell — a phone
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. mate — a friend
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. mate — a partner
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. squash — to crush
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. mate — to breed
  23. coach — a trainer
  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