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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · mouse · temple · drill · staff · dip · face · pitcher

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. face — part of the head
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. net — in sport
  8. face — to confront
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. staff — a stick
  11. face — to point toward
  12. drill — army training
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. drill — a practice
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. net — for catching
  18. staff — employees
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. net — after costs
  21. dip — to sink
  22. staff — employees
  23. drill — the tool
  24. pitcher — a jug

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