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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: bowl · club · lie · coach · temple · date · deal · cabinet

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. deal — to handle
  5. date — the fruit
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. club — for golf
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. club — a group
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. club — for dancing
  24. temple — a place of worship

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