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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. last — to go on
  4. chest — a box
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. last — finally
  7. root — the cause
  8. chest — of your body
  9. present — there
  10. present — the time now
  11. last — final
  12. root — of a plant
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. present — a gift
  15. roll — a list
  16. ball — a dance
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. ball — a great time
  21. chest — of your body
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. root — of a word
  24. roll — a cake

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