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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: press · field · jam · wound · net · key · temple · perch

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. net — in sport
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. key — for a lock
  11. field — for sport
  12. press — newspapers
  13. press — a publisher
  14. net — for catching
  15. wound — an injury
  16. net — after costs
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. key — the most important part
  20. field — a subject
  21. key — in music
  22. field — farmland
  23. press — to push
  24. wound — an injury

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