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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: net · cue · bear · ball · last · temple · bowl · can

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. cue — a hint
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. cue — a signal
  7. last — final
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bear — the animal
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. last — to go on
  14. net — after costs
  15. cue — for pool
  16. net — for catching
  17. last — finally
  18. ball — a great time
  19. net — in sport
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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