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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. court — for sport
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. last — to go on
  8. stand — to bear
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. lie — to recline
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. last — finally
  13. last — final
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. court — of a king
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. court — of law
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

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