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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. ball — a dance
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cold — not warm
  16. ball — a great time
  17. cold — an illness
  18. season — in sport
  19. cap — of ice
  20. season — of the year
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. cap — a lid
  24. temple — a place of worship

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