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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.

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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: drill · bound · fine · bowl · suit · ball · mate · temple

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. suit — to fit
  3. fine — high quality
  4. suit — clothes
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. fine — all right
  7. mate — a friend
  8. drill — a practice
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bound — obliged
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bound — certain
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. drill — the tool
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mate — to breed
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. drill — army training
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bowl — to roll

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