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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. chair — a leader
  3. bass — the fish
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. object — an aim
  7. bass — low music
  8. face — to point toward
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — to protest
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — a permit
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. face — part of the head
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. face — to confront
  20. date — the fruit
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. fan — to cool the air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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