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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. ball — a dance
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. ball — a great time
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. mark — a trace
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stand — to bear
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. mark — a grade

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