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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. cell — in biology
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. face — to confront
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. mark — a trace
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. face — part of the head
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. cell — a phone
  16. face — to point toward
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. pound — a weight
  24. temple — a place of worship

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