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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.

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: net · pound · land · mark · band · vault · scale · temple

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. band — a music group
  3. net — in sport
  4. mark — a grade
  5. scale — size or range
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. net — for catching
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. mark — a trace
  12. vault — a safe
  13. scale — in music
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. land — ground
  16. pound — a weight
  17. net — after costs
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. band — a ring
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. land — a country
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. temple — a place of worship

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