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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — steady
  5. bass — the fish
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. branch — a division
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. bass — low music
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. kick — in football
  24. firm — a company

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