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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. lie — to recline
  3. press — to push
  4. press — a publisher
  5. spring — of water
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. spring — a coil
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. ball — a dance
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. kid — child
  13. ball — a great time
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. press — newspapers
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. spring — the season
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. kid — to tease
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. cabinet — ministers

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