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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 120 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 · patient · ball · ground · hide · suit · bay · bat

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ball — a great time
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. ball — a dance
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. suit — to fit
  15. ground — a position
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. ground — the earth
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. suit — in cards
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. suit — clothes

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