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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
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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: content · lie · ball · temple · pit · bowl · net · craft

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. content — happy
  3. ball — a dance
  4. content — the amount
  5. net — in sport
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a skill
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. net — after costs
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. net — for catching
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pit — a hole
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pit — in a race
  23. lie — to recline
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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