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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
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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: pop · ball · tube · rash · temple · hide · present · bowl

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. pop — soda
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. present — there
  5. tube — a container
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pop — to visit
  8. ball — a dance
  9. present — the time now
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. tube — the underground
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. present — a gift
  15. ball — a great time
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. rash — a series
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. pop — music
  23. rash — hasty
  24. hide — animal skin

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