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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: cabinet · game · net · lie · snap · bass · temple · nail

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. net — for catching
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. game — a match
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. game — wild animals
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. net — in sport
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. bass — low music
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. lie — to recline
  22. snap — to click
  23. net — after costs
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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