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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: wake · stick · bound · net · mate · pitcher · mouse · temple

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wake — a trail
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — in sport
  13. net — after costs
  14. bound — obliged
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bound — certain
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. mate — to breed
  23. mate — a friend
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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