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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: chest · mouse · march · mug · swing · rest · toast · temple

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. chest — a box
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. chest — of your body
  5. mug — a face
  6. toast — bread
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. swing — to play on
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. mug — to rob
  12. chest — of your body
  13. march — the month
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mug — a cup
  16. rest — what's left
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. march — music
  20. swing — music
  21. march — the month
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. swing — in golf
  24. rest — a break

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