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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a dance
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. rash — a series
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. kick — in football
  10. ball — a great time
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rash — hasty
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. straw — a straw man

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