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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — crushed
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. ground — a position
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. court — of law
  7. cell — a phone
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. court — of a king
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bore — to drill
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. court — for sport
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bore — to tire
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. cell — in biology
  24. mouse — 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