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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. ball — a great time
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. club — a group
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. object — an aim
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bore — to tire
  12. object — a thing
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. prune — to trim
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. club — for dancing
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bore — to drill
  20. ball — a dance
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. club — for golf
  23. prune — to trim
  24. object — to protest

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