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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. file — a line of people
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bear — the animal
  6. root — the cause
  7. bear — the animal
  8. file — a tool
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — of a plant
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. file — a document
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. pit — in a race
  19. can — a tin
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. can — a tin
  22. pit — a hole
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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