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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. ground — crushed
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. fine — high quality
  8. press — a publisher
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. press — to push
  12. fine — all right
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a hint
  15. press — newspapers
  16. cue — a signal
  17. ground — the earth
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. date — the fruit
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. ground — a position

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