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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: mine · jam · bay · net · lean · temple · lie · fan

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. net — in sport
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. lean — to bend
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. net — after costs
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. net — for catching
  18. lean — thin
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. mine — for digging

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