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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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468
Word bank
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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. rest — what's left
  3. stock — shares
  4. rest — what's left
  5. fall — to drop
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. rest — a break
  11. fall — the season
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. stock — goods
  22. chair — a leader
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. perch — the fish

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