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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. firm — steady
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pop — music
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. face — to point toward
  8. pit — a hole
  9. row — to paddle
  10. firm — decided
  11. face — to confront
  12. firm — a company
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bass — low music
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. pop — soda
  17. bank — for money
  18. row — a line
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bass — the fish

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