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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. game — a match
  5. firm — decided
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pound — a weight
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. current — electric
  11. current — of water
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — steady
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. game — wild animals
  17. root — of a word
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bass — the fish
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. current — happening now
  22. root — of a plant
  23. root — the cause
  24. bass — low music

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