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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: ball · mug · last · cue · bay · rest · temple · rash

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. rash — a series
  3. rest — a break
  4. last — final
  5. last — finally
  6. cue — a hint
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. ball — a great time
  9. cue — a signal
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a dance
  12. rash — hasty
  13. last — to go on
  14. mug — to rob
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mug — a cup
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. cue — for pool
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. rest — what's left
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — a place of worship

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