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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: lie · shower · toast · fine · rock · net · tube · temple

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. lie — to recline
  3. fine — high quality
  4. rock — a stone
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. tube — the underground
  9. tube — a container
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. net — after costs
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. net — in sport
  19. net — for catching
  20. shower — rain
  21. shower — to wash
  22. toast — bread
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. lie — an untruth

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