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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bound — tied together
  4. field — for sport
  5. field — a subject
  6. bound — obliged
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — the time now
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. rash — hasty
  11. pass — a permit
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. present — there
  14. rash — a series
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. bound — certain
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. sharp — clever
  23. field — farmland
  24. pit — in a race

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