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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 120 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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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: arm · stick · bowl · net · kick · temple · ball · drill

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. drill — army training
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. net — for catching
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. kick — in football
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. ball — a great time
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — the tool
  19. ball — a dance
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. net — after costs
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. kick — a thrill

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