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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: cabinet · bass · bowl · root · jam · temple · bat · roll

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bat — the animal
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. root — of a word
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. roll — a list
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. root — the cause
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bass — the fish
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. roll — a cake
  23. bass — low music
  24. jam — a tight spot

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