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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. can — a tin
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. cold — not warm
  6. pit — in a race
  7. club — a group
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. rock — music
  10. season — in sport
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. club — for dancing
  13. season — of the year
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. can — a tin
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. can — to be able to
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rock — a stone
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pit — a hole
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. club — for golf

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