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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: fall · last · object · bass · cue · track · charge · temple

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. fall — to drop
  3. track — a path
  4. cue — a signal
  5. charge — in control
  6. cue — a hint
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bass — the fish
  9. cue — for pool
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. object — a thing
  12. last — to go on
  13. last — final
  14. fall — the season
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. object — an aim
  17. last — finally
  18. track — a song
  19. bass — low music
  20. track — to keep track
  21. charge — a price
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. charge — electricity
  24. object — to protest

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