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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 haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. ball — a dance
  6. staff — employees
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. staff — employees
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. staff — a stick
  12. ball — a great time
  13. stand — to bear
  14. mate — to breed
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — the most important part
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. mate — a friend
  19. key — in music
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. mate — a partner
  24. stand — for spectators

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