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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. ball — a dance
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the sport
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. suit — in cards
  12. rush — hurry
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. cell — in biology
  15. suit — to fit
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. suit — clothes
  18. ball — a great time
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. wake — a trail
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. cell — a phone
  23. stand — to bear
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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