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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. fine — high quality
  3. rock — a stone
  4. charge — in control
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. net — for catching
  7. charge — electricity
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. fine — all right
  18. charge — a price
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. net — after costs
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. net — in sport
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. cabinet — ministers

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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