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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. hand — help
  3. can — to be able to
  4. present — there
  5. bulb — for light
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. can — a tin
  11. ground — crushed
  12. hand — in cards
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. ground — the earth
  16. can — a tin
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — in a race
  19. wake — a trail
  20. present — a gift
  21. bulb — for light
  22. ground — a position
  23. present — the time now
  24. wake — before a funeral

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