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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: stand · rush · bark · mouse · temple · foot · ball · cap

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. ball — a great time
  6. cap — a lid
  7. stand — to bear
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. cap — a hat
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. foot — a measure
  15. ball — a dance
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. rush — hurry
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bark — to shout
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bark — of a tree

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