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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: bear · racket · arm · cap · mouse · season · temple · current

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. cap — a hat
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. current — electric
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. cap — of ice
  13. season — in sport
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. current — of water
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. current — happening now
  19. cap — a lid
  20. bear — the animal
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. season — of the year

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