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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: hide · temple · toast · fine · bat · present · foot · mine

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. present — a gift
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bat — the animal
  12. toast — bread
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. present — there
  16. present — the time now
  17. fine — all right
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. fine — high quality
  20. mine — for digging
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. hide — to keep secret

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