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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a dance
  3. last — finally
  4. last — to go on
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bank — for money
  8. chest — a box
  9. bank — of a river
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. mate — a friend
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. chest — of your body
  15. mate — a partner
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. mate — to breed
  19. dip — to sink
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. last — final
  22. bank — for money
  23. fork — in a road
  24. chest — of your body

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