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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: temple · fine · game · sharp · stick · ball · bowl · tear

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. ball — a dance
  4. sharp — clever
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. ball — a great time
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. game — a match
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. game — wild animals
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. tear — from crying
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. tear — to rip
  23. tear — from crying
  24. ball — a round shape

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