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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hide · temple · rock · date · bowl · rash

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. rash — hasty
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. rock — music
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rash — a series
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. date — the fruit
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. rock — a stone
  18. 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