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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. ball — a dance
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. ball — a great time
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. rush — hurry
  8. charge — a price
  9. season — of the year
  10. charge — electricity
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. season — in sport
  18. charge — in control
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. perch — for a bird

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