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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — a measure
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. spring — of water
  5. present — the time now
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. mark — a grade
  8. tube — a container
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. tube — the underground
  15. lie — to recline
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. present — there
  18. mark — a trace
  19. present — a gift
  20. spring — a coil
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. spring — the season
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. foot — part of the body

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