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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. squash — to crush
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. squash — the sport
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. row — to paddle
  7. fine — all right
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. row — a line
  10. stock — goods
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. fine — high quality
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. stock — shares

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