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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: fine · dip · pass · ball · temple · cabinet · jam · kid

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. kid — to tease
  3. pass — a permit
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. dip — to sink
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. kid — child
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. ball — a great time
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. fine — all right
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. pass — to succeed

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