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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. roll — a list
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. ball — a great time
  13. cue — a hint
  14. fork — in a road
  15. ball — a dance
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. cue — a signal
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — all right
  23. cue — for pool
  24. pound — a weight

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