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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. rock — a stone
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. face — part of the head
  8. object — to protest
  9. object — a thing
  10. present — there
  11. present — the time now
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — music
  14. present — a gift
  15. land — ground
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. land — a country
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — to point toward
  22. land — to come down
  23. sharp — clever
  24. object — an aim

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