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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: game · temple · stand · cabinet · wound · jam · mug · face

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. wound — an injury
  3. mug — a cup
  4. face — to confront
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. wound — an injury
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. mug — a face
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. stand — to bear
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. game — a match
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. game — wild animals
  21. face — part of the head
  22. face — to point toward
  23. mug — to rob
  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