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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: spell · temple · kick · lie · ball · fall · mug · racket

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — to rob
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. spell — a short time
  7. ball — a great time
  8. fall — the season
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. fall — to drop
  12. mug — a face
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. spell — magic
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. ball — a dance
  18. fall — to drop
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. lie — to recline
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. kick — in football
  24. lie — an untruth

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