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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: fine · ball · cell · suit · rest · drill · temple · coach

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. cell — in biology
  3. ball — a dance
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. fine — all right
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. ball — a great time
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. drill — army training
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. suit — clothes
  13. drill — the tool
  14. fine — high quality
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — to fit
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rest — a break
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. rest — what's left
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. cell — a phone
  24. drill — a practice

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