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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bass — the fish
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. land — ground
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — completely
  9. season — in sport
  10. ball — a great time
  11. season — of the year
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. land — to come down
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. ball — a dance
  16. land — a country
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. craft — a skill
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. craft — boats
  23. bass — low music
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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