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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a dance
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. net — after costs
  5. lean — thin
  6. net — in sport
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. firm — steady
  12. net — for catching
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. firm — a company
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. firm — decided
  24. ball — a great time

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