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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.

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: hand · temple · deal · lie · net · present · cabinet · racket

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. present — there
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — the time now
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. net — in sport
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. hand — in cards
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. net — after costs
  21. hand — help
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. cabinet — ministers

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