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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. ball — a dance
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. last — to go on
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wound — an injury
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. suit — clothes
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. suit — to fit
  16. fork — in a road
  17. cell — in biology
  18. last — finally
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. suit — in cards
  22. ball — a great time
  23. wound — an injury
  24. last — final

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