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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: bat · temple · row · bear · hide · can · court · nail

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. can — a tin
  4. bear — the animal
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. court — for sport
  7. can — to be able to
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. row — to paddle
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bear — the animal
  15. can — a tin
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. court — of a king
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. row — a line
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. hide — to keep secret

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