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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: straw · temple · date · object · ball · mouse · net · perch

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. object — an aim
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. object — a thing
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. perch — the fish
  17. object — to protest
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — in sport
  20. ball — a great time
  21. date — the fruit
  22. ball — a dance
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. net — for catching

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