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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. chip — to eat
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bore — to tire
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. chip — for betting
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — of ice
  13. march — the month
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. toast — bread
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. march — music
  19. bore — to drill
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bank — for money
  24. march — the month

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