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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: net · game · can · temple · mark · roll

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. roll — a cake
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. roll — a list
  6. net — for catching
  7. can — a tin
  8. net — in sport
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. net — after costs
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. game — a match
  14. can — to be able to
  15. game — wild animals
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. can — a tin
  18. mark — a trace

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