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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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. court — of law
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. court — of a king
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. drill — a practice
  13. band — a music group
  14. squash — to crush
  15. band — a ring
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. court — for sport
  19. fork — in a road
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. squash — the sport
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. drill — army training
  24. band — a rubber band

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