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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. object — an aim
  3. rest — what's left
  4. stem — to come from
  5. face — to point toward
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pop — music
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — the time now
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. face — to confront
  13. object — a thing
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pop — to visit
  18. rest — a break
  19. object — to protest
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. face — part of the head
  23. present — there
  24. bowl — a football final

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