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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
YesNo
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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: mine · fan · coach · date · temple · straw · bowl · rock

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. rock — a stone
  4. date — the fruit
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mine — for digging
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. rock — music
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. date — on the calendar

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