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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.

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: temple · net · game · march · bear · dip · can · cell

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. bear — the animal
  3. dip — to sink
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. can — a tin
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. can — to be able to
  9. cell — a phone
  10. march — the month
  11. bear — the animal
  12. net — after costs
  13. game — a match
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. game — wild animals
  16. cell — in biology
  17. net — in sport
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. net — for catching
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. can — a tin
  22. march — music
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. march — the month

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