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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.

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: perch · net · root · season · lean · bear · mug · temple

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. lean — to bend
  4. mug — a cup
  5. root — of a word
  6. season — in sport
  7. bear — the animal
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. root — the cause
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mug — to rob
  14. season — of the year
  15. root — of a plant
  16. net — after costs
  17. perch — the fish
  18. mug — a face
  19. lean — thin
  20. net — for catching
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bear — the animal
  23. net — in sport
  24. perch — for a bird

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