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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. hand — in cards
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. cap — a lid
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cue — a hint
  12. dip — to sink
  13. lean — thin
  14. vault — a safe
  15. cue — for pool
  16. lean — to bend
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cap — of ice

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