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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: temple · saw · mine · hide · season · net · march · club

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. season — in sport
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. saw — the tool
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. march — music
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. season — of the year
  9. club — a group
  10. mine — for digging
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. club — for golf
  13. saw — the tool
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — for catching
  18. march — the month
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. club — for dancing
  24. net — in sport

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