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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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  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. temple — a place of worship
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a hole
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. track — a path
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. chip — for betting
  12. track — to keep track
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. foot — a measure
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. track — a song
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. lie — to recline
  23. perch — the fish
  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