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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. court — of a king
  7. roll — a cake
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. roll — a list
  10. rash — a series
  11. race — humankind
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mark — a grade
  14. court — for sport
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. race — a contest
  17. court — of law
  18. mark — a trace
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. ball — a dance
  22. rash — hasty
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. race — the arms race

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