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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.

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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 · bowl · mouse · ground · club · snap · rest · stand

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. ground — the earth
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. club — for golf
  7. stand — to bear
  8. rest — what's left
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. club — for dancing
  12. snap — to click
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. club — a group
  18. ground — crushed
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. rest — what's left
  23. ground — a position
  24. temple — side of the head

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