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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  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. temple — a place of worship
  2. spring — the season
  3. spring — of water
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. row — to paddle
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bass — the fish
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. row — a line
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. charge — in control
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. spring — a coil
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — to rob
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — electricity
  22. wound — an injury
  23. mug — a face
  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