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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. mate — a partner
  3. stock — shares
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pop — music
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. spell — a short time
  13. pop — to visit
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mate — a friend
  18. plane — a tool
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pop — soda
  21. stock — goods
  22. spell — letters
  23. spell — magic
  24. plane — an aircraft

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