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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pop · charge · date · bass · temple · wound · rest · bear

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bear — the animal
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. wound — an injury
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pop — music
  9. pop — soda
  10. bass — low music
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bass — the fish
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. date — the fruit
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. charge — in control
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. charge — electricity
  20. rest — a break
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. pop — to visit
  23. rest — what's left
  24. charge — a price

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