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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bay · lie · temple · lean · root · net · squash · mine

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. net — for catching
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. root — the cause
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. lie — to recline
  8. net — after costs
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. net — in sport
  14. squash — the sport
  15. root — of a plant
  16. root — of a word
  17. lean — thin
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. lean — to bend
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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