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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. squash — to crush
  3. court — for sport
  4. foot — a measure
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. mate — a friend
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. court — of a king
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. court — of law
  17. bass — the fish
  18. mate — a partner
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. pit — in a race
  22. squash — the sport
  23. pit — a hole
  24. mate — to breed

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