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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: club · temple · rash · fan · bark · pop · mate · firm

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. firm — a company
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. firm — decided
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — to breed
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rash — hasty
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. club — a group
  14. pop — soda
  15. rash — a series
  16. mate — a partner
  17. club — for golf
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. firm — steady
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bark — to shout
  22. pop — to visit
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. club — for dancing

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