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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. cue — a hint
  3. wound — an injury
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. track — to keep track
  7. can — a tin
  8. ball — a dance
  9. cue — for pool
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. can — a tin
  12. cue — a signal
  13. ball — a great time
  14. charge — a price
  15. track — a path
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. charge — in control
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. can — to be able to
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. track — a song
  23. wound — an injury
  24. charge — electricity

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