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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bound — obliged
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bound — tied together
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. ball — a great time
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. game — a match
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. bound — certain
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. toast — bread
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. game — wild animals
  24. ball — a dance

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