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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  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. saw — the tool
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. season — in sport
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. foot — a measure
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. saw — the tool
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. capital — a city
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. season — of the year
  17. capital — money
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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