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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 120 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'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. mug — a cup
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. land — to come down
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. kid — child
  9. club — a group
  10. mug — to rob
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. land — a country
  16. root — the cause
  17. club — for golf
  18. mug — a face
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. root — of a word
  21. club — for dancing
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. kid — to tease
  24. root — of a plant

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