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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. ball — a great time
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. ball — a dance
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. wake — a trail
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. dip — to sink
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. wake — before a funeral

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