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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. swing — music
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. kid — to tease
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. kid — child
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. deal — to handle
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. swing — in golf
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bass — the fish
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. swing — to play on
  24. fan — to cool the air

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