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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 120 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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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: ball · rash · temple · staff · bay · snap

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. staff — employees
  4. ball — a great time
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. ball — a dance
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. snap — to click
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. rash — hasty
  14. staff — a stick
  15. rash — a series
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. staff — employees
  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