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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: game · bay · press · fall · mug · temple · mark · ball

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — to drop
  3. mug — a face
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a grade
  6. press — a publisher
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. mug — a cup
  9. press — newspapers
  10. ball — a dance
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. fall — the season
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. press — to push
  16. mug — to rob
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — wild animals
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. game — a match
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. mark — a trace

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