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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. rush — hurry
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. object — a thing
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. object — an aim
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stand — to bear
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. ball — a great time
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. ball — a dance
  18. object — to protest
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bear — the animal
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rush — a thrill

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