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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: saw · bat · ball · bass · bore · suit · net · temple

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. net — in sport
  5. saw — the tool
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bore — to tire
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bore — to drill
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bass — low music
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. suit — in cards
  21. net — after costs
  22. bat — the animal
  23. net — for catching
  24. saw — the tool

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