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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. mark — a trace
  3. scale — size or range
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. scale — in music
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. last — finally
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. mark — a grade
  17. kick — in football
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. rest — what's left
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. last — final
  22. rest — a break
  23. last — to go on
  24. rest — what's left

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