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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: mug · leaves · racket · lie · ground · nail · cap · temple

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. cap — of ice
  4. mug — to rob
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. cap — a hat
  9. mug — a cup
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. lie — to recline
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. mug — a face
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. ground — the earth
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. ground — crushed
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cap — a lid
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. ground — a position

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