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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. land — ground
  7. lean — to bend
  8. land — to come down
  9. march — music
  10. cue — a hint
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. ball — a dance
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. march — the month
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. land — a country
  21. ball — a great time
  22. lean — thin
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. ball — a round shape

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