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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 120 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. fall — the season
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bass — the fish
  7. squash — the sport
  8. fall — to drop
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. squash — to crush
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rule — government
  13. chip — to eat
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. rule — a law
  18. drill — army training
  19. firm — decided
  20. chip — for betting
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bass — low music
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. firm — steady

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