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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. sharp — clever
  4. firm — a company
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. rush — hurry
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. firm — steady
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. firm — decided
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. prune — to trim
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bark — to shout

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