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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. court — of a king
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. stand — to bear
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. club — a group
  12. dip — to sink
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. roll — a cake
  17. club — for golf
  18. field — for sport
  19. court — for sport
  20. field — a subject
  21. court — of law
  22. field — farmland
  23. club — for dancing
  24. roll — a list

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