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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. toast — bread
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — to protest
  6. pop — soda
  7. can — a tin
  8. lean — thin
  9. bore — to tire
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. can — to be able to
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pop — music
  17. pop — to visit
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. can — a tin
  21. cell — in biology
  22. lean — to bend
  23. object — a thing
  24. bore — to drill

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