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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 · ground · arm · mate · hide · fine · mark · wake

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mark — a trace
  3. wake — a trail
  4. fine — all right
  5. mate — a partner
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. fine — high quality
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. ground — a position
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. mate — a friend
  16. ground — crushed
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a grade
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. mate — to breed
  23. ground — the earth
  24. hide — to keep secret

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