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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mug — a cup
  4. tube — a container
  5. fork — in a road
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. last — to go on
  8. dip — to sink
  9. bound — tied together
  10. last — final
  11. mug — a face
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — the underground
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. last — finally
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bound — certain
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bound — obliged
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. rock — a stone
  24. mug — to rob

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