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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. cold — an illness
  3. suit — in cards
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. suit — to fit
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. suit — clothes
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bear — the animal
  17. cold — not warm
  18. mark — a grade

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