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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.

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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: jam · staff · temple · hide · fine · object · ball · bound

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. fine — all right
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. ball — a dance
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. object — a thing
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bound — tied together
  11. object — an aim
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bound — obliged
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. staff — employees
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bound — certain
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. fine — high quality
  21. ball — a great time
  22. object — to protest
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. fine — a penalty

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