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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. bulb — for light
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. press — to push
  8. press — a publisher
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. swing — in golf
  11. row — to paddle
  12. press — newspapers
  13. swing — music
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. swing — to play on
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. ball — a great time
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bulb — for light
  21. row — a line
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. row — a quarrel

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