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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: fall · mouse · racket · tear · toast · temple · ball · can

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. fall — the season
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. fall — to drop
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. can — a tin
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. fall — to drop
  16. toast — bread
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. tear — from crying
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. tear — to rip
  22. tear — from crying
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. ball — a dance

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