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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bank — for money
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bank — for money
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pop — soda
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. pop — music
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. bass — low music
  20. pass — a permit
  21. wake — a trail
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. pitcher — a jug

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