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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. suit — clothes
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. march — the month
  7. suit — in cards
  8. court — of law
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. march — music
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. suit — to fit
  16. march — the month
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. court — of a king
  19. foot — a measure
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bat — the animal
  22. court — for sport
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. wound — an injury

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