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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: can · pound · bass · club · temple · wind

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. can — a tin
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. can — a tin
  5. wind — moving air
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bass — low music
  8. club — a group
  9. club — for golf
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. bass — the fish
  12. wind — moving air
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. pound — a weight
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bass — the instrument

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