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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. court — of law
  3. fall — to drop
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. fall — to drop
  6. capital — a city
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. court — for sport
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — the underground
  17. lie — to recline
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. fine — all right
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. fall — the season
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. capital — money
  24. court — of a king

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