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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: temple · bass · arm · mate · bark · net · row · bay

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. bass — low music
  3. row — a line
  4. row — to paddle
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. net — in sport
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bark — to shout
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. net — for catching
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. mate — a friend

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