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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. suit — clothes
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. track — a song
  15. track — to keep track
  16. suit — to fit
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. mark — a grade
  19. bat — the animal
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. track — a path
  22. dip — to sink
  23. mark — a trace
  24. suit — in cards

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