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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. ball — a great time
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. bass — the fish
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. ball — a dance
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stem — to come from
  13. press — newspapers
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. pitch — completely
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. press — to push
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bass — low music
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. stem — of a plant

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