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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: stem · kick · pop · bay · nail · board · temple · net

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. pop — soda
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. pop — music
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. net — for catching
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. net — in sport
  13. pop — to visit
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. kick — in football
  16. stem — to come from
  17. board — to get on
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. board — a committee
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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