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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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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: temple · wax · bass · pit · calf · chip · firm · key

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bass — the fish
  3. firm — a company
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pit — a hole
  8. chip — for betting
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. chip — to eat
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. wax — to grow
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. key — for a lock
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. key — in music
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bass — low music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. firm — decided

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