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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 120 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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. suit — clothes
  6. mine — for digging
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. stand — to bear
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. suit — in cards
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. band — a music group
  17. band — a ring
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. suit — to fit
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. bat — the animal
  24. stand — for spectators

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