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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: mate · chest · charge · ball · hide · pitcher · temple · saw

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. chest — a box
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. mate — a partner
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. charge — in control
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mate — a friend
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. ball — a dance
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. chest — of your body
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. ball — a great time
  17. mate — to breed
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — electricity
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. chest — of your body

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