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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. race — humankind
  13. lie — to recline
  14. race — the arms race
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. branch — a division
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. toast — bread
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. snap — to click
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. race — a contest

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