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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 · mate · pitcher · object · pop · hide · cabinet · file

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pop — to visit
  5. file — a line of people
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. file — a tool
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. object — a thing
  12. pop — soda
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pop — music
  15. mate — a friend
  16. file — a document
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. object — an aim
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. object — to protest
  21. mate — to breed
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. mate — a partner
  24. hide — animal skin

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