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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: lie · ball · ground · land · temple · toast · season · foot

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. ball — a great time
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. land — a country
  5. land — ground
  6. ground — a position
  7. toast — bread
  8. season — in sport
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. ground — crushed
  13. lie — to recline
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. land — to come down
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ground — the earth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. foot — a measure

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