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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 120 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: temple · leaves · lean · bowl · ground · bass · mate · fall

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. ground — the earth
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. mate — to breed
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. mate — a friend
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bass — low music
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bass — the fish
  12. fall — to drop
  13. ground — a position
  14. fall — the season
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. mate — a partner
  18. lean — to bend
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. lean — thin
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. ground — crushed

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