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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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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bound — certain
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bound — tied together
  11. ball — a great time
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. ball — a dance
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. pass — to succeed

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