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

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bark — to shout
  14. rule — a law
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. rule — government
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. ball — a great time

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