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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. foot — a measure
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. spring — a coil
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. march — the month
  10. march — music
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — to tire
  13. lie — to recline
  14. march — the month
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. spring — the season
  17. fine — high quality
  18. spring — of water
  19. fine — all right
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. temple — side of the head

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