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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. ball — a dance
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. lean — to bend
  6. roll — a list
  7. band — a ring
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — thin
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. ball — a great time
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. roll — a cake
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. roll — on a roll

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