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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. season — in sport
  3. chest — of your body
  4. court — of a king
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chest — a box
  8. season — of the year
  9. court — for sport
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fall — the season
  13. ball — a great time
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. court — of law
  16. fall — to drop
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. fall — to drop
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a dance
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. season — to add flavour

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