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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: lie · mug · shower · club · fine · bat · bowl · temple

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. club — for golf
  3. mug — a face
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. shower — to wash
  9. club — a group
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. mug — to rob
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — all right
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. shower — rain
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bat — the animal
  21. lie — to recline
  22. club — for dancing
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. mug — a cup

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