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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. deal — to handle
  6. land — ground
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. cap — a hat
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. season — in sport
  11. cap — of ice
  12. track — to keep track
  13. land — to come down
  14. season — of the year
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. track — a path
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. chair — a leader
  21. cap — a lid
  22. land — a country
  23. track — a song
  24. chair — a professorship

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