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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.

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: spring · hide · temple · pitcher · cabinet · bowl · suit · kid

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. spring — of water
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. suit — to fit
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. spring — the season
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. kid — child
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. kid — to tease
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. spring — a coil

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