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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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Word bank
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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: toast · lie · pit · cabinet · field · ball · temple · wake

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. field — for sport
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a dance
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pit — a hole
  8. lie — to recline
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. field — farmland
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. ball — a great time
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — in a race
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. wake — a trail
  23. toast — bread
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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