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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. field — farmland
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. club — a group
  5. dip — to sink
  6. club — for golf
  7. club — for dancing
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. ball — a dance
  11. present — the time now
  12. field — for sport
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. present — there
  17. field — a subject
  18. present — a gift
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. ball — a great time
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. plane — a tool
  23. lie — to recline
  24. dip — to dunk

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