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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. key — in music
  5. stand — to bear
  6. drill — a practice
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bear — the animal
  9. drill — the tool
  10. key — for a lock
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. key — the most important part
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. drill — army training
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bear — the animal

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