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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.

Make a worksheet

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: board · lie · mouse · pit · net · plane · temple · ground

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ground — a position
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. lie — to recline
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. board — to get on
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. net — in sport
  12. plane — a tool
  13. ground — crushed
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ground — the earth
  18. board — a committee
  19. pit — in a race
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — for catching
  24. temple — a place of worship

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