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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. field — for sport
  4. club — for dancing
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. field — a subject
  7. rush — hurry
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. club — a group
  10. cue — for pool
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — a trail
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. club — for golf
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. cue — a hint
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a dance
  21. field — farmland
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. cue — a signal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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