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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: mine · temple · plane · bay · mark · present · net · toast

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. net — in sport
  3. plane — a tool
  4. mine — for digging
  5. mark — a grade
  6. net — after costs
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. present — there
  16. toast — bread
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. present — the time now
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. net — for catching
  24. present — a gift

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