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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 · fork · mug · mate · temple · mark · bark · snap

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. net — after costs
  4. bark — to shout
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mug — to rob
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. net — for catching
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. mug — a cup
  15. snap — to click
  16. net — in sport
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mate — a partner
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fork — in a road
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. mug — a face
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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