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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — magic
  5. spring — a coil
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. spring — the season
  9. spring — of water
  10. net — in sport
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. toast — bread
  15. fine — high quality
  16. spell — letters
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — all right
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. net — after costs
  21. ball — a dance
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. net — for catching
  24. temple — a place of worship

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