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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: arm · net · object · dip · capital · temple · jam · mug

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. mug — a cup
  3. net — for catching
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. mug — a face
  9. mug — to rob
  10. capital — a city
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to sink
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. net — after costs
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. capital — money
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — an aim
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. object — a thing
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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