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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cap · kid · content · fine · leaves · toast · roll · temple

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. cap — of ice
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. roll — a list
  5. fine — high quality
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. kid — to tease
  10. content — happy
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. kid — child
  14. roll — a cake
  15. cap — a lid
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. content — the amount
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. toast — bread
  22. cap — a hat
  23. fine — all right
  24. temple — a place of worship

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