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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. toast — bread
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. wax — to grow
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bound — certain
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bound — tied together
  15. prune — to trim
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bound — obliged
  19. kick — in football
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. stand — to bear
  24. prune — to trim

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