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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: net · temple · fan · rest · bulb · stick · land · lie

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — a break
  5. bulb — for light
  6. land — a country
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rest — what's left
  10. net — after costs
  11. land — to come down
  12. land — ground
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. lie — to recline
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. net — for catching
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. net — in sport
  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