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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 120 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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — the month
  3. charge — in control
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. capital — money
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. charge — electricity
  14. dip — to sink
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pit — a hole
  18. capital — a city
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. charge — a price
  24. march — music

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