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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: temple · hide · rule · court · racket · mark · mouse · stand

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rule — government
  9. court — of law
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. rule — a law
  12. mark — a trace
  13. stand — to bear
  14. court — for sport
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mark — a grade
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. court — of a king
  24. rule — to rule out

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