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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: cap · temple · lie · ground · perch · wound · bass · ball

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. cap — a hat
  3. ground — the earth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. ground — crushed
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bass — low music
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bass — the fish
  18. cap — a lid
  19. wound — an injury
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. ground — a position
  22. wound — an injury
  23. cap — of ice
  24. ball — a great time

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