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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: lie · deal · trunk · game · ground · temple · bear · bowl

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. game — wild animals
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. ground — a position
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. game — a match
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bear — the animal
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. deal — to handle
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. ground — the earth

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