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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a dance
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mug — a cup
  9. pound — a weight
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. file — a document
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. key — in music
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — the most important part
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. file — a line of people
  21. file — a tool
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rush — hurry
  24. hide — to keep secret

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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