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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. ball — a great time
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. fall — to drop
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. net — after costs
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. suit — to fit
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. ground — the earth
  13. suit — in cards
  14. ground — a position
  15. net — for catching
  16. ball — a dance
  17. suit — clothes
  18. fall — the season
  19. fall — to drop
  20. net — in sport
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. perch — the fish
  24. ground — crushed

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