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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 116 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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. spell — letters
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. spell — magic
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rock — music
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. ball — a great time
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bore — to tire
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bore — to drill
  22. ball — a dance
  23. spell — a short time
  24. rock — a stone

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