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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.

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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 · mug · ground · temple · cabinet · racket · staff · court

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. ground — the earth
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. court — of a king
  6. net — after costs
  7. ground — crushed
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. mug — a cup
  11. court — of law
  12. court — for sport
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. staff — employees
  17. net — in sport
  18. net — for catching
  19. ground — a position
  20. staff — employees
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. staff — a stick
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a face

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