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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: firm · net · cabinet · toast · temple · saw · key · season

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — decided
  6. key — in music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. net — after costs
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. season — in sport
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. firm — steady
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. key — for a lock
  19. net — for catching
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. toast — bread
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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