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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: court · temple · saw · clip · can · hide · rush · stick

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. can — a tin
  3. saw — the tool
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. can — a tin
  12. court — of a king
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. clip — to cut
  15. saw — the tool
  16. clip — a video
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. court — for sport
  19. can — to be able to
  20. clip — for paper
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. rush — hurry
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. court — of law

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