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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. land — a country
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. lean — thin
  8. bear — the animal
  9. field — for sport
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. suit — to fit
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. land — ground
  16. lean — to bend
  17. toast — bread
  18. field — a subject
  19. bear — the animal
  20. land — to come down
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. field — farmland

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