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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.

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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: net · temple · lean · date · bowl · arm · nail · bear

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. net — in sport
  3. lean — to bend
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bear — the animal
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. net — for catching
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bear — the animal
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. date — the fruit
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. net — after costs

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