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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. cue — a signal
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. pop — music
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. date — the fruit
  7. bass — low music
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fall — the season
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a hint
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. pop — soda
  21. bass — the fish
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. pop — to visit

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